The Tiny Bird That's Now Illegal To Consume In The US

What's the difference between a songbird and a quail? For many Americans who lived before 1918, the answer was: not much. It would take more songbirds to fill a belly than quail, but Colonial and Federal Americans weren't shy about eating things we wouldn't dream of today. One of those animals is the red-breasted robin you see hopping around the yard in the spring. That was before the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 banned the killing and selling of robins and other protected birds. It's illegal to eat them now, but before 1918, most saw robins as a source of meat rather than as a living yard decoration (there used to be a crow meat lover's association, too).

Robins were plentiful in the Northern states in the summer, and in winter the birds flew south in huge flocks that made them easy targets. They hovered near bushes and shrubs, making it even easier for hunters to secure a meal. The tiny birds are even referenced in the 1867 book, "The Market Assistant," which includes a list of different items commonly sold in that day's marketplaces. The book describes the birds being sold by the thousands, especially in September and October after they'd had all summer to become plump. There's documentation of travelers and European settlers commenting on the birds even earlier. In 1671, Englishman John Josselyn noted them in his writing as being good for meat — arguably, too good. Robins were protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act because they provided effective pest control for crops, populations were declining due to overhunting, and culture was turning against their use as food.

Roasted robin is something you can picture being served at America's oldest restaurants, providing dinner for patrons more than 300 years ago. It wouldn't be a stretch to expect a robin dish alongside other early American dishes like Great Cake (that's the colonial era dessert served at George Washington's family celebrations). The most popular way to eat them was baked into bird meat pies. They were also eaten in stews, and Robins on Toast was an indulgent meal. American citizens of the past also fried robin in lard with a side of sweet potatoes.

One recipe from the 1890 "Wehman's Cook Book" detailed a recipe for a baked robin and beef pie. It's a layered concoction that starts with thin-sliced beef and fat bacon. The next layer is made with a dozen or so robins crammed with an unspecified type of stuffing and rolled in flour. The top layer is made of chopped eschalots, bay leaves, and a few other seasonings. Broth creates a gravy in the dish as it cooks in the oven. It sounds a bit like a pot pie without a top crust.