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Glite Dictionary
nestling

nestling

2 5.6
A young bird that cannot fly and stays in the nest
  • noun
  • /ˈnɛs.lɪŋ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : polluelo
  • Four boys gaped up at their father like nestlings waiting for worms.
  • nestling cuckoo
  • eggs and nestlings
  • nestling galah

Examples

  • Parents and nestlings were readily observed from the roof, but hardly visible from the ground.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Nutcrackers even feed the highly nutritious pine seeds to their nestlings, which are born in early spring.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The galahs are by far more demanding and noisy as nestlings than the Major Mitchells.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Superb starlings are omnivorous throughout the year, but they need to feed their nestlings insects—primarily grasshoppers—during the breeding season.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The mother bird fed the nestling as it chirped softly from the safety of the nest.

  • As spring arrived, we noticed the nestlings peeking out from their hidden nest in the tree.

  • The young nestlings waited eagerly for their parents to return with food.

Synonyms

hatchling
vsnestling
12 3.5

A very young animal that has just come out of its egg, like a bird or turtle

appears later, staying in the nest while feathers develop
baby bird
vsnestling
11 1.0

A very young bird without enough feathers to fly or leave the nest

remains in the nest until flight feathers are developed
young bird
vsnestling
1 1.2

A baby bird that is not yet an adult

is specific to the stage before flight when the young stays in the nest
broodling
vsnestling
  • Archaic
9.5

A young animal recently hatched or born

applies only to birds that lack flight feathers and remain in nests

Antonyms

fledgling
2 6.1

A young bird that has just learned to fly

How Developed

juvenile
79 3.9
fledgling
2 6.1
nestling
  • Specialized
2 5.6
hatchling
12 3.5
egg
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

nestling singular
nestlings plural

Morphology

nestling = nest (transparent) = nest + ling

The noun is clearly formed by 'nest' + the productive suffix '-ling' meaning a young/small example of what lives in the nest.

Etymology

Nestling comes from the common word nest and the ending -ling, which means a 'little one', as in duckling. So a nestling is literally a 'little one in the nest', which is why it means a very young bird that stays in the nest and is not ready to fly yet.