Most of the dramatic seasonal changes in a bird’s appearance are the result of molt — that is, the replacement of old feathers with new.
A male Scarlet Tanager replaces the drab greenish feathers of winter with intense red in spring, and then molts back to greenish in the fall. All birds molt at least once a year (usually in late summer), and many species, like Scarlet Tanager, add a second molt in late winter that gives rise to the bright colors we enjoy in spring.
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