Birds whose young are born helpless and naked, requiring extensive parental care—the plural of 'altrix'.
From Latin 'altrix' meaning 'nurse' or 'one who nourishes,' from 'alere' meaning 'to nourish,' referring to birds that must nurture their vulnerable chicks.
Birds are divided into two camps: altrices (helpless babies like robins and parrots) and precocial birds (like chickens born fluffy and ready to roam)—this ancient division shapes entire reproductive strategies!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.