Why is it illegal in South Dakota to shoot a robin?

Answer 1

Robins are protected by the Migratory Birds Treaty Act of 1918, so it is illegal to shoot robins in the nations which have agreed to the treaty. Those nations are the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia. Since South Dakota is part of the United States, the treaty applies to South Dakota, thus making it illegal to shoot a robin in South Dakota.

The Migratory Birds Treaty Act was one of the first environmental laws and was designed for the protection of migratory birds. The treaty was enacted in a time when many bird species were threatened by the commercial trade in birds and bird feathers.