My Manor

Hazel grouse, commonly known as the "Flying Dragon," is also referred to as the tree chicken or tree grouse in Northeast China. It is currently a first-class protected animal in China.

Belonging to the order Galliformes and the family Grouse, there are three species worldwide: the flower-tailed hazel grouse, the spotted-tailed hazel grouse, and the shawl grouse.

In most cases, the "Flying Dragon" people refer to is the flower-tailed hazel grouse. This species is the most widely distributed, ranging from the western end of the Eurasian continent to the Scandinavian Peninsula, Spain, Russia, Northeast China, and the North Sea region of island countries.

The term "Flying Dragon Bird" specifically refers to the flower-tailed hazel grouse. In contrast, the spotted-tailed hazel grouse is considered a native Chinese species, found only in several provinces such as Sichuan, Gansu, and Qinghai. However, despite belonging to the same genus, their tastes differ significantly.

Interestingly, the birds Jiang Hai was catching could be considered "pseudo-Flying Dragons" since they were not flower-tailed hazel grouse but shawl grouse, a species native to the United States and Canada. These birds are rarely hunted in their native countries, and their populations remain stable.

To be honest, the taste of shawl grouse is not as good as the authentic Flying Dragon, but it comes close. For a less discerning foodie like Jiang Hai, it is still delicious.

After tying up the birds and securing them to their backpacks, everyone continued their trek into the forest.

As they ventured deeper into the woods, Jiang Hai and his friends noticed an abundance of wildlife. The footprints in the snow indicated the presence of pheasants, rabbits, and even foxes. However, these animals, often considered pests on domestic farms, were not a concern here.

Since Jiang Hai primarily raised cattle and fish, the presence of foxes wasn't an issue. Even newborn calves were more robust than foxes, so they posed no threat to his livestock.

Foxes, in fact, served a purpose in maintaining the forest's ecological balance. Eliminating them would allow species like rabbits and pheasants to multiply unchecked. Birds of prey could control adult populations, but they couldn't reach nests or prevent young animals from being born. The death of young animals is a crucial part of maintaining nature's balance.

Of course, if a fox posed a danger to a child, it would need to be dealt with. Foxes will eat children, after all.

As for rabbits and pheasants, Jiang Hai was interested in them, but his friends, Robbins and Bell, showed no enthusiasm for hunting them. Americans generally avoid eating wild game due to concerns about parasites. They also don't eat rabbit meat, which is tricky to prepare without the right methods.

In Jiang Hai's memory, the best rabbit dishes came from Sichuan, China, where spicy, flavorful recipes made the otherwise bland meat delicious. In contrast, the rabbit dishes in his hometown of Bingcheng, typically stewed or smoked, were quite ordinary.

Seeing the rabbits in the snow made Jiang Hai crave them, but given the cold weather and the fact that Robbins and Bell had already caught plenty of Flying Dragons for him, he felt too embarrassed to ask them to hunt rabbits as well. He decided to let them go, for now.

As they continued their trek, Robbins and Bell finally spotted their main target for the day — turkeys. Jiang Hai looked toward the clearing where the birds were roaming and immediately frowned.

There was a flock of turkeys wandering leisurely in the open space, but to Jiang Hai, they looked ugly. Their black, fat, short bodies and drooping necks made them resemble oversized jars, and their appearance reminded him of vultures.

Despite their unappealing appearance, turkeys are beloved in the United States, especially during Thanksgiving. Jiang Hai couldn't understand the fascination with this bird.

Until now, he had only seen dead turkeys. Seeing them alive for the first time, he was not impressed and decided he didn't need a second look.

Unaware of Jiang Hai's thoughts, Robbins and Bell prepared to shoot two turkeys. They planned to keep the largest one for Jiang Hai's Thanksgiving dinner and cook the one they hunted today for their own meal. Although turkey meat wasn't as tasty as beef, it was still a treat for cowboys who weren't picky eaters.

With their hunting rifles in hand, the two men took aim. They weren't using deer bullets, as those would tear the turkeys apart and leave lead fragments in the meat. Instead, they loaded small lead pellets, perfect for taking down turkeys without destroying the meat.

After steadying their aim, both men fired simultaneously. Two loud bangs echoed through the forest, and two turkeys fell instantly into pools of blood. The rest of the flock scattered in panic, flapping their wings like frightened ostriches. The gunshots startled more birds, sending flocks soaring from the branches with loud cries.

Jiang Hai watched the chaotic scene, his mouth wide open in awe. Realizing he was standing with his mouth agape, he quickly shut it — just in case a bird decided to drop something unpleasant.

As he admired the sight of birds filling the sky, Jiang Hai noticed two smaller birds flapping erratically from a bush. It was clear they had been startled by the gunshots and were struggling to fly straight. As they approached the treetops, one of the birds clipped a large tree branch, knocking a nest loose.

The nest fell to the ground, landing softly in the snow without breaking. Curious, Jiang Hai walked over to inspect it.

Meanwhile, Robbins and Bell were busy tying up the turkeys they had shot. When Jiang Hai reached the nest, he was surprised to see something inside. There were two broken eggshells and a shivering, gray-and-white-feathered bird. It looked like a black chicken, only much smaller.

Jiang Hai stared at the tiny bird, stunned. It wasn't the species that shocked him — it was the bird's appearance.

"It's so ugly!" Jiang Hai muttered as he picked up the trembling bird. He examined it closely, shaking his head in disbelief.

"What's wrong, Boss?" Robbins and Bell had finished with the turkeys and walked over to see what Jiang Hai was holding.

Bell's expression shifted as he got closer. He recognized the bird immediately.

"Boss, did you knock down this thing's nest?" Bell asked, surprised.

Robbins, who hadn't paid much attention at first, now stared at the bird in Jiang Hai's hand, equally puzzled. How did their boss end up knocking a nest out of a tree?

"No," Jiang Hai shook his head. "When you fired, didn't you scare off a bunch of birds? Two of them took off from that bush over there and hit the tree, knocking this nest down. I just came over to check it out and found this little guy inside. What is this thing? Why is it so ugly?"

Robbins and Bell exchanged glances before Robbins sighed and shook his head with a rueful smile.

"That... is the symbol of the America," Robbins replied with a mix of pride and resignation.

Hearing this, Jiang Hai was stunned.

"Wait... What? This ugly thing?"