A recently hatched bird that is naked, blind and completely dependent on its parents is an example of which type of bird?

• A. Precocial bird
• B. Fledgling bird
• C. Altricial bird
• D. Brancher

Answer: (C)

Bird hatchlings are categorized by how dependent they are at birth. Altricial chicks are born naked or with very little down, blind, and utterly reliant on their parents for warmth and food. This describes a recently hatched bird that cannot move or take care of itself, matching the scenario you described.

In contrast, precocial chicks hatch with down or feathers, eyes open, and are relatively mobile, often able to move around and feed themselves shortly after hatching. A fledgling is a young bird that has already left the nest and is learning to fly or forage, but isn’t fully independent yet. A brancher refers to a bird that has left the nest and is perched on branches, still developing, but not representing the newborn condition described.

So the best fit for a newly hatched, naked, blind, and completely dependent chick is an altricial bird.