 
|
BABY BIRD [ return to previous page ]
|
Is the bird ALTRICIAL? |
Is the bird PRECOCIAL? |
 |
 |
Many of our backyard songbirds, such as finches, sparrows, robins, jays, and flickers, are altricial birds. Altricial babies hatch naked and helpless with their eyes closed. These birds live in a nest or cavity. Over time, they develop down, their eyes open, they grow feathers, and learn to fly. |
Ducks, geese, quail, rails and shorebirds are examples of precocial birds. These babies hatch with a covering of down, their eyes are open, and they can walk or swim, but not fly, soon after hatching. Many of these baby birds can feed themselves after hatching. Many, though not all, precocial birds in our area have webbed feet. |
Not all birds fit neatly into the categories of altricial and precocial. Ornithologists recognize six development categories for hatchlings: altricial, semialtricial, semiprecocial, subprecocial, precocial, and superprecocial, but it is common and practical to describe hatchlings as either altricial or precocial.
[ back to top ]
 |
featured animal story |  |
emergency contact info |  |
donate online |
 |
current events |  |
contact us |  |
volunteer information |
Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center - P.O. Box 18987 Boulder, Colorado 80308
Phone: 303.545.5849 | Email: greenwood@estreet.com | site map |
If you have a wildlife EMERGENCY or a question about a wild animal,
please DO NOT e-mail us,
give us a call at: 303.823.8455