Why do birds molt?

Molting Bird

Feathers wear out, as clothes do, and need to be replaced. The process is called “molting.”  Birds molt their feathers at least once a year, in late summer or early fall.  Feathers are made from a substance called “keratin.”  

It is basically the same material your hair is made of.  In molting, old worn feathers drop out of their sockets in a bird’s skin and new ones grow in their place.  

Some birds grow bright, new feathers for the nesting season. These birds molt twice a year.  Most birds molt just a few feathers at a time, so they are able to fly during molting periods.–Dick Rogers