Nidifugous

Nidifugous

Nidifugous organisms are those that leave the nest shortly after hatching or birth. It is derived from Latin nidus for "nest" and fugere meaning "to flee".[1] The terminology is most often used to describe birds and was introduced by Lorenz Oken in 1916.[2] The chicks of birds in many families such as the waders, waterfowl and gamebirds are usually nidifugous.

The term "nidifugous" is sometimes used synonymously with "precocial", as all nifidugous species are precocial -- that is, born with open eyes and capable of independent locomotion. However, not all precocial birds leave the nest; some may stay at the nest, and are thus nidicolous instead.[3]

References

  1. ^ Merriam Webster Online Dictionary
  2. ^ Starck, J. (1998). Avian Growth and Development. Oxford Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-510608-3. 
  3. ^ Paul R. Ehrlich, David S. Dobkin, and Darryl Wheye (1988) Precocial and Altricial Young.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • nidifugous — [nī dif′yo͞o gəs] adj. [< L nidus, NEST + fugere, to flee (see FUGITIVE) + OUS] leaving the nest almost immediately after hatching, as chickens …   English World dictionary

  • nidifugous — adjective Etymology: Latin nidus nest + fugere to flee more at fugitive Date: 1896 leaving the nest soon after hatching …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • nidifugous — adj. [L. nidus, nest; fugere, to flee] Departing the nest soon after birth …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

  • nidifugous — /nuy dif yeuh geuhs/, adj. leaving the nest shortly after hatching. Cf. nidicolous. [1900 05; < L nid (s. of nidus) NEST + i I + fug(ere) to flee, take flight + OUS] * * * …   Universalium

  • nidifugous — adjective That leaves the nest shortly after hatching See Also: nidicolous …   Wiktionary

  • nidifugous — ni·dif·u·gous …   English syllables

  • nidifugous — ni•dif•u•gous [[t]naɪˈdɪf yə gəs[/t]] adj. zool. leaving the nest shortly after hatching • Etymology: 1900–05; < L nīdus nest+fug(ere) to flee …   From formal English to slang

  • nidifugous — /nɪˈdɪfjəgəs/ (say ni difyuhguhs) adjective denoting birds which are active soon after hatching and leave the nest almost at once. {Latin nid(us) nest + i 1 + Latin fug(ere) to flee + ous} …  

  • nidifugous — adjective (of birds) leaving the nest shortly after hatching • Ant: ↑nidicolous …   Useful english dictionary

  • charadriiform — ▪ bird order Introduction    any member of the large group of birds (bird) that includes the sandpipers (sandpiper), plovers (plover), gulls (gull), auks (auk), and their relatives. These birds form an important and familiar segment of the… …   Universalium

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