Groups of Animals: 110+ Interesting Collective Nouns for Animals

A group of animals is a collection of animals of the same species living and interacting together in a particular area or habitat. Some common terms for groups of animals include herd, pack, flock, and colony. The specific term used to describe a group of animals can vary depending on the species of animal and the context in which they are found. For example, a group of cows is called a herd, a group of wolves is called a pack, a group of birds is called a flock, and a group of bees is called a hive or a colony.

In this lesson, we learn some interesting names for groups of animals in English. Here, we show a list of names for groups of animals and a list of collective nouns for animals in English.

Groups of Animals

What Is a Group of Animals?

A group of animals is a collection of individual animals that belong to the same species and are usually found together. Groups of animals can be formed for a variety of reasons, such as for protection, to find food, or to reproduce. The size and structure of a group of animals can vary depending on the species and the environment in which they live.

Some groups of animals, like packs of wolves or pride of lions, have a hierarchical social structure with a dominant individual or individuals leading the group. Other groups, like schools of fish or flocks of birds, may have more decentralized social structures.

Whether it is a group of mammals, birds, or even insects, there is a unique collective noun to identify the specific group, although some of these names are rarely used.

Names for Groups of Animals

Here is a list of collective names for groups of animals you should know.

• Mallards: a sord, a brace
• Magpies: a tiding, a gulp, a murder or a charm
• Nightingales: a watch
• Owls: a parliament
• Parrots: a pandemonium, a company
• Crabs: a consortium
• Herring: an army
• Sharks: a shiver
• Trout: a hover
• Bees: a grist, a hive, a swarm
• Caterpillars: an army
• Clams: a bed
• Cockroaches: an intrusion
• Flies: a business
• Grasshoppers: a cloud
• Lions: a pride
• Martens: a richness
• Moles: a labor
• Monkeys: a troop, a barrel
• Mules: a pack, a span or a barren
• Jellyfish: a bloom, a fluther, a smack
• Lobsters: a risk
• Oysters: a bed
• Snails: a hood
• Squid: an audience
• Apes: a shrewdness
• Badgers: a cete
• Otters: a romp
• Rhinoceroses: a crash
• Squirrels: a dray,  scurry
• Tigers: an ambush, a streak
• Bats: a cauldron
• Bears: a sloth, a sleuth
• Bitterns: a sedge
• Buzzards: a wake
• Bobolinks: a chain
• Coots: a cover
• Cormorants: a gulp
• Buffalo: a gang, an obstinacy
• Cats: a clowder, a pounce, a glaring
• Dogs: a litter, a pack
• Donkeys: a pace
• Elephants: a parade
• Elk: a gang
• Ferrets: a business
• Fox: a leash, a skulk, an earth
• Giraffes: a tower
• Goats: a tribe, a trip
• Gorillas: a band
• Hippopotamuses: a bloat, a thunder
• Hyenas: a cackle
• Jaguars: a shadow
• Kangaroos: a troop, a mob
• Lemurs: a conspiracy
• Leopards: a leap
• Whales: a pod, a school, or a gam
• Crows: a murder, a horde
• Dotterel: a trip
• Ducks: a brace, a team, a flock (in flight)
• Eagles: a convocation
• Finches: a charm
• Flamingos: a stand
• Geese: a flock
• Grouse: a pack
• Hawks: a cast
• Herons: a sedge, a siege
• Jays: a party, a  scold
• Lapwings: a deceit
• Larks: an exaltation
• Partridge: a covey
• Peafowl: an ostentation, a muster
• Penguins: a colony, a muster, a parcel, a rookery
• Plovers: a congregation, a wing (in flight)
• Ptarmigans: a covey
• Rooks: a building
• Quail: a bevy, a covey
• Ravens: an unkindness
• Snipe: a walk, a wisp
• Sparrows: a host
• Starlings: a murmuration
• Storks: a mustering
• Swans: a bevy
• Teal: a spring
• Turkeys: a rafter, a gang
• Woodcocks: a fall
• Woodpeckers: a descent
• Cobras: a quiver
• Crocodiles: a bask
• Frogs: an army
• Toads: a knot
• Turtles: a bale, a nest
• Salamanders: a maelstrom
• Snakes: a nest

Collective Nouns for Animals

Here are some collective nouns for animals in English.

• A sord of mallards
• A brace of mallards
• A tiding of magpies
• A gulp of magpies
• A murder of magpies
• A watch of nightingales
• A parliament of owls
• A consortium of crabs
• An army of herring
• A shiver of sharks
• A hover of trout
• A grist of bees
• A hive of bees
• A swarm of bees
• A company of parrots
• An army of caterpillars
• A bed of clams
• A business of flies
• A cloud of grasshoppers
• A richness of martens
• A pride of lions
• A labor of moles
• A troop of monkeys
• A barrel of monkeys
• A pack of mules
• A barren of mules
• A span of mules
• A bloom of jellyfish
• A smack of jellyfish
• A fluther of jellyfish
• A risk of lobsters
• A bed of oysters
• A hood of snails
• An audience of squid
• A colony of penguins
• A rookery of penguins
• A parcel of penguins
• A muster of penguins
• A wing of plovers
• A cete of badgers
• A dray of squirrels
• A sloth of bears
• An ambush of tigers
• A chain of bobolinks
• A gang of buffalo
• A glaring of cats
• A pack of dogs
• A gang of elk
• An earth of fox
• A tribe of goats
• A covey of ptarmigans
• A covey of quail
• A romp of otters
• A scurry of squirrels
• A sleuth of bears
• A streak of tigers
• A cover of coots
• An obstinacy of buffalo
• A pounce of cats
• A pace of donkeys
• A business of ferrets
• A skulk of fox
• A trip of goats
• A building of rooks
• An unkindness of ravens
• A shadow of jaguars
• A band of gorillas
• A bevy of quail
• A cackle of hyenas
• A conspiracy of lemurs
• A mustering of storks
• A gam of whales
• A horde of crows
• A mob of kangaroos
• A flock of ducks
• A wisp of snipe
• A charm of finches
• A pod of whales
• A pack of grouse
• A bale of turtles
• A siege of herons
• A murder of crows
• A deceit of lapwings
• A muster of peafowl
• An ostentation of peafowl
• A brace of ducks
• A knot of toads
• An exaltation of larks
• A walk of snipe
• A party of jays
• A murmuration of starlings
• A flock of geese
• A cast of hawks
• A sedge of herons
• A stand of flamingos
• A shrewdness of apes
• A scold of jays
• A team of ducks
• A crash of rhinoceroses
• A covey of partridge
• A cauldron of bats
• A sedge of bitterns
• A trip of dotterel
• A wake of buzzards
• An army of frogs
• A gulp of cormorants
• A clowder of cats
• A school of whales
• A litter of dogs
• A nest of turtles
• A parade of elephants
• A leap of leopards
• A leash of fox
• A host of sparrows
• A tower of giraffes
• A troop of kangaroos

Groups of Animals | Infographic

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the name for a group of flamingos?

A group of flamingos is called a flamboyance. These beautiful birds are known for their vibrant pink color and graceful movements, and they often gather in large groups to feed and socialize.

What do you call a group of lions?

A group of lions is called a pride. Lions are social animals and live in groups, with females usually doing most of the hunting while males protect the pride’s territory.

What is a group of whales called?

A group of whales is called a pod. Whales are highly intelligent and social creatures, and pods can consist of just a few individuals or dozens of whales.

What is a group of owls called?

A group of owls is called a parliament. These nocturnal birds are known for their large eyes and silent flight, and they often gather in groups to roost during the day.

What is the collective noun for a group of elephants?

A group of elephants is called a herd. Elephants are highly intelligent and social animals, and herds can consist of dozens of individuals led by a matriarch.

What do you call a group of penguins?

A group of penguins is called a colony. These flightless birds are known for their distinctive black and white coloring and their waddling gait, and they often gather in large groups for warmth and protection.

Last Updated on November 7, 2023