What are the stages of a bird’s life?

A bird starts its life in an egg.

A baby bird is called a chick.

When the chick hatches out of the egg is called a hatchling or a nestling. The bird is usually bald and blind, which is called altricial.

The hatchling begins to grow soft fluffy feathers, called down feathers, and flight feathers.

After the chick has taken its first flight it is called a fledgling. Fledglings still live in their parent’s nest and are fed by their parents for several weeks.

When the chicks are able to fly, they are adult birds.

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM