50 Cardinal Birds That Are Indescribably Beautiful

These species such as the indigo bunting will exhibit a complex molt cycle where they go through four different stages of plumage coverage within their first year of life. In the spring to summer birds start with juvenile plumage to supplemental plumage, then to a first basic (nonbreeding) plumage in the fall to winter and finally the first alternate (breeding) plumage. Adults will typically have the basic two molt cycle from alternate to basic or partial (late summer or fall) to back again in the spring.