BirdNote: Flying and Molting

Molting Northern Cardinal; Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel

 

Feathers are amazing structures. But after about a year, constant use and exposure to the elements mean they have to be replaced. So how do you replace the roughly 20 feathers in each wing that are essential to flight? It’s a pretty tricky business, and each species of birds has its own way of managing it. This piece on BirdNote has the answers.