Moulting Bluetits?

MB Lacey

I had it in my head that round about late july, early august birds moulted, but I got a pic of this very frazzled little blue tit which seems to be in moult already?

Is it the norm that they moult about now?
It just seems strange when they have so little energy during breeding/nesting season that they also go through a moult.

Thanks.

Photo taken Mon 28th June

Kess73

Yep they are moulting at the moment, along with robins, great tits, coal tits, blackbirds and many others.

There is normally a difference in the moult time based on species and the size of the bird.

Many people will be experiencing a sudden loss of their regular birds around this time, and it can be upsetting for some people as they start to think something happened to their regulars. It is just the time of year that the birds start to moult and they can become very reclusive during this time.

MB Lacey

Thats great info kess thanks.

I must have been thinking that because ducks moult later all birds do.

Kess73

MB Lacey wrote: »

Thats great info kess thanks.

I must have been thinking that because ducks moult later all birds do.

Generally you can take it as a rough guide that the bigger the bird, the longer the moulting period.

A small bird like a robin might moult over a six week period and a larger bird could take four or more months.

Food source can play a massive part in how quick the moult goes too. For example a robin, just to use them again , that eats a lot of insects and the like during it's moult will moult and regrow feathers quicker than a robin that eats less insects and more seed during the moult.