What causes dark meat and light meat?

* Dark meat is found in the legs and thighs of birds, which are the muscles used for walking and running. These muscles require more oxygen, so they have a higher concentration of myoglobin, a protein that stores oxygen. Myoglobin gives dark meat its characteristic color.

* Light meat is found in the breast of birds, which is used for flying. Flying is a less strenuous activity and uses less oxygen, so these muscles have a lower myoglobin content, resulting in the lighter color.

Here's a simple breakdown:

* Dark meat = more muscle use = more myoglobin = darker color

* Light meat = less muscle use = less myoglobin = lighter color

It's important to note that this is a general rule, and there can be some variation between species. For example, ducks and geese are migratory birds and use their wings more intensely, so they might have darker breast meat compared to other birds.