Altricial

Altricial, meaning "requiring nourishment", refers to a pattern of growth and development in organisms which are incapable of moving around on their own soon after hatching or being born. The word is derived from the Latin root alere meaning "to nurse, to rear, or to nourish" and refers to the need for young to be fed and taken care of for a long duration. Species whose young are immediately or quickly mobile are known as precocial.

Scope

In bird and mammal biology, altricial species are those species whose newly hatched/born young are relatively immobile, lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food on their own, and must be cared for by adults; closed eyes are common, though not ubiquitous. Altricial young are born helpless and require care for a specific amount of time. Among birds, these include herons, hawks, woodpeckers, owls, cuckoos and most passerines. Among mammals, marsupials and most rodents are altricial. Cats, dogs, and humans are some of the best-known altricial organisms.