It’s Molting Time On Antelope Island

Many of the birds I saw yesterday morning on Antelope Island were in one stage or another of the molting process.

 

This Black-billed Magpie’s head and upper neck were a mess. Debris on its bill didn’t help with its overall appearance.

 

 

When I spend a lot of time with a particular bird I often find myself talking to it. This Western Meadowlark was reluctant to fly and after a while I started calling him “Stubby”. Can you see why?

The poor bird is completely missing its tail. Molting can do that.

 

 

This Western Meadowlark was only beginning ‘his’ molt. He still had a tail and much of his plumage seemed intact, with the exception of his head and neck.

It might be hard to believe that this tall, relatively skinny meadowlark could transform into…

 

 

this rotund puffball, but he did. It’s the same bird.

During breeding season, meadowlarks on the island are often easy to approach closely but this time of year they’re as spooky as most other birds. Usually. But this bird was surprisingly tolerant of me. I was close to him to start with but in order get different shooting angles I actually started and moved my pickup three times without spooking the bird. And I think I know why he was so sticky.

Because he was molting, preening took precedence over fleeing from me. He was preening for almost the entire time I spent with him and he barely looked up when I started and moved my pickup, three times. I had the definite impression that the molting process made him uncomfortable and preening somehow relieved his discomfort. Kind of like scratching an itch.

Sometimes he’d actually try to sing but in the midst of singing he’d puff up and start preening again. I actually captured that transition in a short video clip.

I think it’s kinda cute.

Ron

 

28 Comments

  1. I always find myself feeling sorry for birds in mid moult. And am sure that it does itch. Another great series and I did enjoy the video.

  2. Nice images, I like the clip too.

  3. To paraphrase an old shampoo commercial from the ’60s: “I just lost my feathers and I can’t do a thing with them!” The video definitely gave me a chuckle. Thanks for including it — plus, I love to hear a meadowlark sing. I wonder if they have any bird-sized boulders to “itch” against like the bison (that was such a cool shot!).

  4. It’s that time of year when I’d not be surprised to see a bald or nearly bald Scrub-Jay. They don’t usually show themselves too easily but when they do I sometimes get a call about a “sick” bird.

  5. Everett F Sanborn

    It is that time Ron. I have on a few occasions been able to take very close up photos of Western Meadowlarks, but then at other times very skittish. A week ago I took some photos of a pair of Wood Ducks looking awful in eclipse plumage part of molting. They are usually such handsome ducks, but looked pathetic at that stage. Nice photos and information.

  6. Goodness the Molting time can be strange to say the least. I never have seen pictures of the birds at that time. Little singing ” Puffball ” is so cute. Thank you for the share.

  7. Laughed out loud at the still of the poor meadowlark ! A full-body
    version of the classic bad hair day………

  8. Presto Chango! Impressive!

  9. Very cute! What a puffball.

  10. Michael McNamara

    There are those mornings. We all have them. Don’t know if I were to be videoed on one of those days (or any day) if anyone would go so far as to call it cute.

    Did get a chuckle this morning. Thanks Ron.

  11. The “ugly” season….. 😉 Not noticeable here yet tho bird activity in general is slowing down – getting close to “Labor Day quiet” time – don’t know where the summer has gone!

    • Judy, wherever it’s gone, I’m ready for something different. I’m tired of heat. I actually came close to firing up my furnace this morning.

  12. Great molting series. Very fun video!

  13. Arwen Professional Joy Seeker

    I loved the mid-song “GOT AN IIIIIIITCH!” Stop.

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