It's one of those questions that pops up every so often: What does a Minnesota loon taste like? The common loon, Minnesota's official state bird, is protected throughout the United States under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Even before these legal protections were in place, loons had a reputation for being one of the least appetizing birds around. Famed naturalist John James Audubon reportedly sampled loon meat during his travels and described it as dark, incredibly tough, and "rank". Between federal protections and centuries of terrible taste reviews, the loon is a bird best appreciated through binoculars, not on a dinner plate.