@sweetbriarnaturecenter: Newton is having a really bad hair day! He now has the look of a man going through a full-blown molt-down. But don’t worry about Newton’s less-than-glamorous appearance. August is molting season for Eastern Screech Owls, and what looks miserable to us is actually an important part of preparing for winter. During molt, Newton is replacing his old, worn-out feathers with brand-new ones. It’s an incredibly energy-intensive process, regulated by major hormonal changes in his body. His reproductive hormones decrease as his body shifts its focus from breeding to self-maintenance, while thyroid hormones increase his metabolism to help fuel the growth of thousands of new feathers. And those new feathers don’t exactly arrive comfortably. Every feather that falls out is replaced by a sharp pin feather pushing through the skin. You can actually see them poking through around Newton’s eyes and above his beak. So yes, Newton looks a little rough right now. He’s tired, uncomfortable and probably not in the mood for compliments.

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