nidifugous / nidicolous
Mar. 12th, 2013 07:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prettygoodwordnidifugous (ni-DIF-yuh-guhs) - adj., leaving the nest shortly after hatching.
nidicolous (ni-DIK-uh-luhs) - adj., remaining in the nest for a period after hatching.
Ducks are nidifugous, leaving the nest almost immediately to dab about in the water, while most passerine birds (meaning anything that perches) are thoroughly nidicolous. Both were coined by naturalists from Latin roots, the common element coming from nīdus, nest, plus either fugere, to flee/take flight or colere, to inhabit.
---L.
nidicolous (ni-DIK-uh-luhs) - adj., remaining in the nest for a period after hatching.
Ducks are nidifugous, leaving the nest almost immediately to dab about in the water, while most passerine birds (meaning anything that perches) are thoroughly nidicolous. Both were coined by naturalists from Latin roots, the common element coming from nīdus, nest, plus either fugere, to flee/take flight or colere, to inhabit.
---L.
