ROBIN
PR

The robin has a reputation throughout the country as a harbinger of spring. Here in Virginia, this hardly holds true because vast flocks of robins spend their winters here. It is not unusual when walking the woods to come across a flock of two or three hundred birds industriously scratching in the leaves for food.

Like the bluebird, robins are members of the thrush family but lack the spotted breasts found so prominantly in other members. They are ten inches long, with gray upper parts and a rose colored breast. A black hat furthers the birds jaunty appearance.

At one time, robins were considered game birds and hundreds of thousands were killed and sold on the market for meat pies. In seasons of abundance, they brought as little as ten cents a dozen. In 1912 the Virginia legislature passed a law prohibiting the killing of robins at any time.

The robin is comical to watch as it hops around the lawn after a rain. It cocks its head sharply, listens, and if a worm makes the slightest noise is instantly speared by a sharp beak.

The nest of the robin is a thick bowl, made of mud and heavily reinforced with leaves, twigs, twine or paper scraps. The inside is lined with soft grass or feathers.