You buy new clothes. Birds grow their own. The donning of fresh plumage is called molt, with new feathers replacing old. The feathers we see are dead once completely grown. They break and show wear.

Birds regularly shed and regrow their body and wing feathers in a process, called molting, that is critical for flight, migration, insulation, breeding and survival. A new study by University of Utah ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. GrrlScientist writes about evolution, ecology, behavior and health. Summer is a busy time for birds. The adults must help their ...