Altricial young are relatively

Helpless at birth and require relatively little time for incubation and gestation (inkubation af æg og drægtighed) (In biology, altricial species are those in which the young are underdeveloped at the time of birth, but with the aid of their parents develop in spurts after birth). Modsat: Præocociale er arter, hvor de unge er relativt modne og bevægelige fra fødsels- eller klekkingsøjeblikket.