See the Special Molting Locations of Three Migrating Bird Species
Called molt-migrants, some birds take a detour on their annual trip south just to refresh their plumage.
Painted Bunting. Photo: Tanuja Reddy/Audubon Photography Awards
Migration takes a lot out of birds. Besides the tremendous energy long-distance flights require, birds' journeys put them in the way of myriad risks both natural and human-caused, so they have strong incentives to take the most direct route possible. Even so, some birds fly well out of their way before or during their fall migration for a reason that's equally life-or-death: to replace the feathers they rely on to fly. For these species—many more than once thought—migration isn't just going from point A to point B. Meet the molt-migrants.
Molting grounds can be as general as multi-state region or as specific as a single lake. Scientists are still trying to learn what compels certain birds but not others (even within a single species) to practice molt-migration, but the availability of fresh resources, which may have been exhausted on breeding grounds, seems key. Identifying and protecting the habitats molt-migrants seek out and depend on could be vital to supporting these species.
Use the map below to explore the three-step journeys of three molt-migrant species.