moult
/moʊlt/
noun
- The process or period of shedding feathers, hair, skin, or shell.
- During the moult, the parrot looked a bit scruffy with missing feathers.
- The hen's moult lasted about three weeks before her new plumage appeared.
- A healthy moult is a sign that the reptile is growing properly.
verb
- (of an animal) to shed old feathers, hair, skin, or shell to make way for new growth.
- The snake will moult its skin several times a year as it grows.
- Crab farmers watch carefully as the crabs moult their hard shells.
- Birds usually moult after the breeding season to replace worn feathers.