All articles tagged with #molting
A study from the University of Utah shows that birds are molting earlier in the fall, about one day per year over 13 years, likely due to climate change and shifting environmental cues, with potential impacts on their survival and reproductive success.
Pesto, a king penguin chick at SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium, has become an internet sensation as he begins molting his baby feathers, entering what handlers call an "awkward teen" phase. Weighing 49 pounds, Pesto is larger than both his parents combined and has captivated audiences with his unique "full body Mohawk" look. The molting process, which can last up to six weeks, is a significant milestone for penguin chicks as they transition to adulthood. Pesto's journey has garnered over 2 billion views worldwide, with fans expressing mixed emotions about his rapid growth.
Two recent studies shed light on the significance of molting in determining the fate of prehistoric avian species. One study reports the discovery of preserved feathers in amber from a 99-million-year-old baby bird, suggesting that ancient birds experienced a simultaneous molt. Another study explores molting patterns in modern birds and reveals that sequential molting is more prevalent than simultaneous molting. The scarcity of evidence for molting in fossil birds suggests that prehistoric birds may have molted less frequently or underwent a simultaneous molt not on an annual basis like most modern birds. Understanding molting processes is crucial for comprehending bird evolution and survival after the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs.
Bird feathers preserved in amber from 99 million years ago provide evidence that molting played a role in the extinction of some early bird ancestors. The feathers, found in Myanmar, belong to a bird species called Enantiornithine, which was one of the few types of dinosaurs to survive the asteroid strike that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs. The research suggests that the need to keep warm during rapid shedding may have contributed to the species' ultimate demise. Molting is a crucial process for birds, and understanding its evolution and impact on bird survival can shed light on the extinction of different dinosaur groups.
Two recent studies shed light on the molting process in ancient birds and its potential role in the survival of modern birds. Fossils preserved in amber reveal a baby bird from 99 million years ago that exhibited a combination of precocial and altricial characteristics during molting, which may have contributed to the extinction of its group. Another study analyzing modern bird specimens suggests that fossil birds molted differently from their modern counterparts, potentially influencing their survival during the mass extinction event. These findings highlight the importance of molting in bird evolution and the factors that contributed to the survival of modern birds.