What’s Up? – Molting | H.J. Ruiz

What’s Up? – Molting

Molting in Birds

In birds, molting (mounting) is the periodic replacement of feathers by shedding old feathers while producing new ones. Feathers are dead structures at maturity which are gradually abraded and need to be replaced. Adult birds molt at least once a year, although many molt twice and a few three times each year. It is generally a slow process as birds rarely shed all their feathers at any one time; the bird must retain sufficient feathers to regulate its body temperature and repel moisture. The number and area of feathers that are shed varies. In some molting periods, a bird may renew only the feathers on the head and body, shedding the wing and tail feathers during a later moulting period. Some species of bird become flightless during an annual “wing molt” and must seek a protected habitat with a reliable food supply during that time. While the plumage may appear thin or uneven during the molt, the bird’s general shape is maintained despite the loss of apparently many feathers; bald spots are typically signs of unrelated illnesses, such as gross injuries, parasites, feather pecking (especially in commercial poultry), or (in pet birds) feather plucking

Photo Gallery

The Northern Cardinal (See pictures) is undergoing the process of molting, the bird is a healthy female, shedding feathers and renewing the plumage without any impediments for flying or feeding.

This time we have a Carolina Chickadee already showing signs that molting has started, gradually without any interference to his daily life routines.

Tags: birding, birds, Carolina Chickadee, Molting, nature, Northern Cardinal, photography, photos of birds, What's Up?

21 thoughts on “What’s Up? – Molting”

macalder02 on August 13, 2018 at 6:47 am said:

If it were not for your exhaustive dedication to the study of birds, we would not have knowledge of these details that occur in them. That of the molts of plumage is incredible because we only look at the beauty of their colors. A great information. Thanks for sharing. The photos, as always, of great quality.

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- H.J. for avian101 on August 13, 2018 at 5:07 pm said:
  
  Thank you M. I appreciate it! 🙂
  
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MG on August 13, 2018 at 10:32 am said:

Wow!

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- H.J. for avian101 on August 13, 2018 at 5:12 pm said:
  
  Thanks MG! 🙂
  
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Dorinda Duclos on August 13, 2018 at 11:48 am said:

Great info and beautiful photos to go with it, H.J.!! I just noticed your logo. I love it!!

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- H.J. for avian101 on August 13, 2018 at 5:13 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much Dorinda. 🙂
  
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  - Dorinda Duclos on August 13, 2018 at 5:46 pm said:
    
    You’re very welcome, my friend! 🙂
Val on August 13, 2018 at 2:09 pm said:

I’ve never known – are chickadees in the tit family or a different family? Have a look online at pics of Parus Major, our ‘Great Tit’ as we call it, its head feather pattern is very similar to your chickadee.

Our birds are beginning to moult now. I notice with our British ones that they time it to coincide with the end of feeing their young. So the birds (currently blackbirds) that are still feeding offspring haven’t yet begun to moult.

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- H.J. for avian101 on August 13, 2018 at 5:28 pm said:
  
  They are both family synonymous Parus Major and Parus Caronlinesis. Thank you for sharing Val. 🙂
  
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susanpoozan on August 13, 2018 at 3:49 pm said:

Very interesting, loved the photographs.

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- H.J. for avian101 on August 13, 2018 at 5:29 pm said:
  
  Thank you so much Susan. 🙂
  
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tootlepedal on August 13, 2018 at 6:34 pm said:

A sad sight but only a step in the annual progress.

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- H.J. for avian101 on August 13, 2018 at 8:48 pm said:
  
  That’s life! Thanks Tom. 🙂
  
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aussiebirder on August 14, 2018 at 7:24 am said:

Thanks for an interesting and informative post HJ.

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- H.J. for avian101 on August 14, 2018 at 4:04 pm said:
  
  Thank you Ashley! 🙂
  
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Indira on August 14, 2018 at 8:34 am said:

You captured a life stage of the birds, HJ!

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- H.J. for avian101 on August 14, 2018 at 4:05 pm said:
  
  Thank you Indira! 🙂
  
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bayphotosbydonna on August 14, 2018 at 10:05 am said:

Molting brings on more beauty! Great post and photos, HJ, thank you for sharing this important stage!

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- H.J. for avian101 on August 14, 2018 at 4:09 pm said:
  
  You’re right Donna, after molting the birds look even more beautiful. Thanks! 🙂
  
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svtakeiteasy on August 18, 2018 at 6:29 am said:

Great post HJ. Always fascinating to learn about these life cycles!

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- H.J. for avian101 on August 18, 2018 at 2:02 pm said:
  
  Thank you Chris! This life cycles are important for animals in this case, birds. 🙂
  
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