In this paper the evidence for the use and consumption of wild birds in medieval
England is reviewed. Wild bird bones are generally uncommon on medieval sites, however
they are more frequently found on high status sites, such as castles, than in towns and
villages, suggesting that they were regarded as luxury food. Both zooarchaeological and
historical evidence point to an increase in their consumption in the later Middle Ages and
the possible reasons behind this phenomenon are discussed. The distribution of wild birds
in different areas of the country is also presented to show how geographic, environmental
and cultural factors all contribute to their occurrence on archaeological sites
