Which term best describes a chick that hatches and is ready to feed itself?

• A. Altricial
• B. Endothermic
• C. Precocial
• D. Viviparous

Answer: (C)

Young that hatch and can feed themselves soon after birth are described as precocial. In precocial species, the chicks are relatively mature and mobile when they hatch, with the ability to walk and forage with little parental help. They typically have down and open eyes at hatching and don’t rely on parents for extended feeding or warmth. This is in contrast to altricial young, which are born blind, featherless or naked, immobile, and dependent on parental care for warmth and nutrition. Endothermic describes being warm-blooded, a general trait of birds rather than a developmental state, while viviparous means giving birth to live young, which doesn’t apply to birds that lay eggs. So the term that best fits a chick that hatches ready to feed itself is precocial.