Precocial refers to the young of species who are relatively mature and mobile at birth or shortly thereafter, in contrast to those who are altricial where the young are born in a relatively helpless state that requires an ongoing investment in parental care (e.g., for nourishment and protection against predation). It is not a clear-cut distinction. but rather constitutes a continuum (a gradient of precociality). Moreover, both represent developmental strategies that are addressed by the theory of r- and k-selection.
See Altricial, Brain (or encephalon), Newborn, Ontogenetic adaptation, r- and k-selection theory