Collective Nouns for Animals

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300 Collective Nouns for Animals

A collective noun is a word used to represent a group of people, animals, or things.

The collective nouns used for groups of animals are often bizarre (e.g., an "opera" of canaries, a "whoop" of chimpanzees). While most of us know that the collective noun for ants is an "army," and the collective noun for lions is a "pride," finding the collective noun for a group of lesser-known animals is more challenging. For example, did you know that a group of armadillos is called a "roll" and a group of crickets is called an "orchestra"?

Unfortunately, there are lots of fanciful collective nouns, particularly for animals, now circulating (e.g., a "dazzle" of zebras, a "galaxy" of starfish), and it has become difficult to establish whether these are acceptable in formal writing. If a collective noun seems overly clever or poetic, it is worth investigating whether it is a genuine collective noun before including it in a formal, scientific document. If you're writing verse or fiction, you are far safer to use a collective noun that is suspiciously fanciful.

Here is a list of 300 collective nouns for animals.

Just for fun, we've added game of hangman, which selects a word from this list as the secret word.

A

• aardvarks
  an armoury of aardvarks
• adders
  a nest of adders
(A group of adders is also listed as a sum, but this is a fanciful word, i.e., clearly made up and not a recognized collective noun for adders.)
• albatrosses
  a rookery of albatrosses
  (A group of albatrosses is also called a flock, flight, gam, or weight.)
• alligators
  a congregation of alligators
  (A group of alligators is also called a bask.)
• alpacas
  a herd of alpacas
  (A group of alpacas is also called a flock.)
• amoebas
  an ooze of amoebas
• antelopes
  a herd of antelopes
  (A group of antelopes is also called a cluster or tribe.)
• ants
  an army of ants
  (A group of ants is also called a colony, nest, or swarm.)
• apes
  a troop of apes
  (A group of apes is also called a shrewdness.)
• armadillos
  a roll of armadillos
• asses
  a herd of asses
• auks
  a raft of auks
  (A group of apes is also called a colony.)
• avocets
  a colony of avocets

B

• baboons
  a troop of baboons
• bacteria
  a culture of bacteria
• badgers
  a cete of badgers
• barracuda
  a battery of barracuda
• bass
  a fleet of bass
• bats
  a colony of bats
• bears
  a sloth of bears
  (A group of bears is also called a sleuth.)
• beavers
  a colony of beavers
• bees
  a hive of bees
  (A group of bees is also called a swarm, bike, or drift.)
• birds
  a flock of birds
  (A group of birds is also called a colony (roosting in large numbers), drift (in flight), rush (migrating), or dissimulation (small birds).)
• bison
  a gang of bison
• bitterns
  a sedge of bitterns
  (A group of bitterns is also called a siege or a pretence.)
• blackbirds
  a cloud of blackbirds
  (A group of blackbirds is also called a grind.)
• bloodhounds
  a sute of bloodhounds
• boars
  a herd of boars
• bucks
  a herd of bucks
• budgerigars
  a flock of budgerigars
• buffalo
  a herd of buffalo
  (A group of buffalo is also called a gang.)
• bullfinches
  a bellowing of bullfinches
• bullocks
  a drove of bullocks
• bustards
  a flock of bustards
• butterflies
  a flight of butterflies
  (A group of butterflies is also called a wing.)
• buzzards
  a wake of buzzards

C

• camels
  a flock of camels
  (A group of camels is also called a herd, caravan, or train.)
• canaries
  an opera of canaries
• capercaillie
  a tok of capercaillie
• caterpillars
  an army of caterpillars
• cats
  a clowder of cats
  (A group of cats is also called a cluster, litter (kittens of the same mother), destruction (wild cats), or nuisance.)
• cattle
  a herd of cattle
  (A group of cattle is also called a mob, drift, or drove (when being driven).)
• cheetahs
  a coalition of cheetahs
• chickens
  a brood of chickens
  (A group of chickens is also called a flock, clutch (chicks from the same mother), or peep (fanciful).)
• chimpanzees
  a whoop of chimpanzees
• chinchillas
  a herd of chinchillas
• choughs
  a chattering of choughs
  (A group of choughs is also called a clattering.)
• clams
  a bed of clams
• cobras
  a quiver of cobras
• cockatoos
  a chattering of cockatoos
• cockroaches
  an intrusion of cockroaches
• coots
  a covert of coots
  (A group of coots is also called a raft or commotion.)
• cormorants
  a flight of cormorants
• cows
  a herd of cows
• coyotes
  a band of coyotes
• crabs
  a scuttle of crabs
• cranes
  a herd of cranes
  (A group of cranes is also called a sedge, siege, or horde.)
• crickets
  an orchestra of crickets
• crocodiles
  a bask of crocodiles
• crows
  a murder of crows
  (A group of crows is also called a horde, hover, mob, muster, parcel, or parliament.)
• cubs
  a litter of cubs
• curlews
  a herd of curlews

D

• deer
  a herd of deer
• dinosaurs
  a herd of dinosaurs
• dodos
  an extinction of dodos
• dogs
  a pack of dogs
  (A group of dogs is also called a brace (two) or leash (three).)
• dolphins
  a pod of dolphins
  (A group of dolphins is also called a school or herd.)
• donkeys
  a herd of donkeys
  (A group of donkeys is also called a pace.)
• dotterels
  a trip of dotterels
• doves
  a dole of doves
  (A group of doves is also called a bevy, flight, piteousness, or pitying.)
• dragons
  a flight of dragons
• ducklings
  a fleet of ducklings
• ducks
  a flock of ducks
  (A group of ducks is also called a paddling (on water), raft (on water), dopping (when diving), plump (when flying), badling, flush, sord, team, or twack.)
• dunlins
  a fling of dunlins
  (The term "fling" refers to dunlins in flight.)

E

• eagles
  a convocation of eagles
  (A group of eagles is also called a congress.)
• eels
  a swarm of eels
• egrets
  a congregation of egrets
  (A group of egrets is also called a wedge.)
• elephants
  a herd of elephants
• elk
  a gang of elk
  (A group of elk is also called a herd.)
• elves
  a drove of elves
• emus
  a mob of emus

F

• falcons
  a cast of falcons
  (The term cast refers specifically to a pair released after a game bird. A group of falcons is also called a soar or a tower.)
• ferrets
  a business of ferrets
• finches
  a charm of finches
  (A group of finches is also called a trembling, trimming, or chirm.)
• fireflies
  a conflagration of fireflies
• fish
  a shoal of fish
  (A group of fish is also called a school or run (moving upstream for spawning).)
• flamingos
  a stand of flamingos
  (A group of flamingos is also called a flamboyance.)
• flies
  a swarm of flies
• fowl
  a roost of fowl
  (A group of fowl is also called a skein (in flight), plump, or trip.)
• foxes
  an earth of foxes
  (A group of foxes is also called a leash (three) or skulk.)
• frogs
  a knot of frogs
  (A group of frogs is also called an army.)
• fur seals
  a harem of seals
  (The term harem refers specifically to a group of female seals belonging to one male.)

G

• geese
  a gaggle of geese
  (A group of geese is also called a flock, skein (in flight), or wedge (in v formation in flight).)
• geldings
  a clipping of geldings
• gerbils
  a horde of gerbils
• giraffes
  a herd of giraffes
• gnats
  a cloud of gnats
• gnus
  a herd of gnus
• goats
  a flock of goats
  (A group of goats is also called a herd or trip.)
• goldfinches
  a charm of goldfinches
  (A group of goldfinches is also called a pantheon, drum, troubling, or chirm.)
• goldfish
  a glint of goldfish
• gorillas
  a band of gorillas
• goshawks
  a flight of goshawks
• goslings
  a skein of goslings
• grasshoppers
  a cloud of grasshoppers
• greyhounds
  a leash of greyhounds
• griffins
  a pride of griffins
• grouse
  a pack of grouse
  (A group of grouse is also called a covey, brace (two), or lek.)
• guillemots
  a bazaar of guillemots
• guinea fowl
  a confusion of guinea fowl
• guinea pigs
  a herd of guinea pigs
• gulls
  a colony of gulls
  (A group of gulls is also called a screech.)

H

• hamsters
  a horde of hamsters
• hares
  a down of hares
  (A group of hares is also called a huske or leash (three).)
• hawks
  a cast of hawks
  (The term "cast" refers specifically to a pair of hawks released after a game bird. A group of hawks is also called a kettle (riding a thermal) or leash (three).)
• hedgehogs
  a prickle of hedgehogs
• hens
  a brood of hens
• herons
  a siege of herons
  (A group of herons is also called a glean, sedge, or station.)
• herrings
  a glean of herrings
• hippopotamuses
  a bloat of hippopotamuses
• hogs
  a sounder of hogs
• hornets
  a swarm of hornets
  (A group of hornets is also called a nest.)
• horses
  a herd of horses
  (A group of horses is also called a harras, span (a team of two), or string.)
• hounds
  a pack of hounds
  (A group of hounds is also called a mute, brace (two), leash (three), or cry.)
• hummingbirds
  a charm of hummingbirds
• hyenas
  a clan of hyenas

I

• ibises
  a colony of ibises
• iguanas
  a mess of iguanas
• insects (non-flying)
  a colony of insects
• insects (flying)
  a swarm of insects
  (A group of flying insects is also called a cloud.)

J

• jackals
  a pack of jackals
  (A group of jackals is also called a skulk.)
• jackdaws
  a band of jackdaws
  (A group of jackdaws is also called a clattering or train.)
• jaguars
  a prowl of jaguars
• jays
  a band of jays
(A group of jays is also called a party or scold.)
• jellyfish
  a smack of jellyfish
  (A group of jellyfish is also called a fluther.)

K

• kangaroos
  a mob of kangaroos
  (A group of kangaroos is also called a troop or court.)
• kestrels
  a hover of kestrels
• killer whales
  a pod of whales
• kingfishers
  a realm of kingfishers
  (A group of kingfishers is also called a crown or concentration.)
• kittens
  a litter of kittens
  (A group of kittens is also called a kindle.)
• knots
  a cluster of knots

L

• ladybirds
  a loveliness of ladybirds
• lambs
  a fall of lambs
• lapwings
  a desert of lapwings
  (A group of lapwings is also called a deceit.)
• larks
  a bevy of larks
  (A group of larks is also called an exaltation or exalting.)
• lemurs
  a conspiracy of lemurs
• leopards
  a leap of leopards
• leverets
  a kindle of leverets
• lice
  a colony of lice
• lions
  a pride of lions
• lizards
  a lounge of lizards
• llamas
  a herd of llamas
• lobsters
  a risk of lobsters
• locusts
  a plague of locusts
• lovebirds
  a pair of lovebirds

M

• mackerel
  a shoal of mackerel
  (A group of mackerel is also called a school.)
• magpies
  a tiding of magpies
  (A group of magpies is also called a conventicle, gulp, mischief, or tittering.)
• mallards
  a sord of mallards
  (A group of mallards is also called a sute.)
• mares
  a stud of mares
• martens
  a richness of martens
• meerkats
  a clan of meerkats
• merlins
  a cast of merlins
  (The term cast refers specifically to a pair released after a game bird.)
• mice
  a nest of mice
• midges
  a swarm of midges
  (A group of midges is also called a bite.)
• minnows
  a shoal of minnows
  (A group of minnows is also called a stream.)
• mockingbirds
  an impression of mockingbirds
• moles
  a labour of moles
  (A group of moles is also called a company.)
• mongooses
  a band of mongooses
• mongrels
  a ménage of mongrels
• monkeys
  a troop of monkeys
• moorhens
  a flock of moorhens
  (A group of moorhens is also called a plump.)
• moose
  a herd of moose
• mosquitoes
  a swarm of mosquitoes
  (A group of mosquitoes is also called a scourge.)
• moths
  an eclipse of moths
• mules
  a barren of mules
  (A group of mules is also called a span (a team of two) or string.)
• mussels
  a bed of mussels

N

• narwhals
  a pod of narwhals
  (A group of narwhals is also called a school.)
• newts
  an armada of newts
• nightingales
  a watch of nightingales
• nuthatches
  a booby of nuthatches

O

• octopuses
  a consortium of octopuses
• orangutans
  a buffoonery of orangutans
• ostriches
  a flock of ostriches
• otters
  a bevy of otters
• owls
  a parliament of owls
  (A group of owls is also called a stare, study, or wisdom.)
• oystercatchers
  a parcel of oystercatchers
• oxen
  a herd of oxen
  (A group of oxen is also called a drove, span, or a team.)
• oysters
  a bed of oysters

P

• pandas
  an embarrassment of pandas
• parrots
  a company of parrots
  (A group of parrots is also called a prattle or pandemonium.)
• partridges
  a covey of partridges
• peacocks
  a muster of peacocks
  (A group of peacocks is also called an ostentation or pride.)
• peasants
  a toil of peasants
  (A group of peasants is also called a bouquet, covey, nide, or nye.)
• pelicans
  a squadron of penguins
  (A group of pelicans is also called a scoop.)
• penguins
  a colony of penguins
  (A group of penguins is also called an creche, huddle, parcel, or rookery.)
• perch
  a pack of perch
• peregrines
  a bazaar of peregrines
  (A group of peregrines is also called a eyrie, ringing, stooping up, or tower.)
• pheasants
  a bevy of pheasants
  (A group of pheasants is also called a bouquet (when flushed), or nye.)
• pigeons
  a flock of pigeons
  (A group of pigeons is also called a litter, kit or loft.)
• piglets
  a litter of piglets
• pigs
  a herd of pigs
• pilchards
  a shoal of pilchards
  (A group of pilchards is also called a school.)
• pintails
  a knob of pintails
• pipers
  a poverty of pipers
• plovers
  a congregations of plovers
  (A group of plovers is also called a wing.)
• pochard
  a flock of pochard
  (A group of pochard is also called a rush.)
• polar bears
  a celebration of polar bears
• polecats
  a chine of polecats
• ponies
  a string of ponies
• poodles
  a salon of poodles
• porcupines
  a prickle of porcupines
• porpoises
  a pod of porpoises
  (A group of porpoises is also called a school or herd.)
• possums
  a passel of possums
• poultry
  a run of poultry
• prairie dogs
  a coterie of dogs
• ptarmigans
  a parliament of ptarmigans
• puffins
  a raft of puffins
• pugs
  a grumble of pugs
• pumas
  a prowl of pumas
• puppies
  a litter of puppies

Q

• quail
  a bevy of quails
  (A group of quail is also called a covey.)

R

• rabbits
  a colony of rabbits
  (A group of rabbits is also called a berry.)
• raccoons
  a gaze of raccoons
• racehorses
  a string of racehorses
• rams
  a battery of rams
• rats
  a swarm of rats
  (A group of rats is also called a pack.)
• rattlesnakes
  a rhumba of rattlesnakes
• ravens
  an unkindness of ravens
  (A group of ravens is also called a constable.)
• redwing
  a crowd of redwing
• reindeer
  a herd of reindeer
• rhinoceroses
  a crash of rhinoceroses
• robins
  a blush of robins
  (A group of robins is also called a blush, bobbin (fanciful), breast, carol (fanciful), gift, reliant (funny), riot, rouge, round, ruby, or worm (especially in America).
• roe deer
  a bevy of deer
• rooks
  a parliament of rooks
  (A group of rooks is also called a building or clamour.)
• ruffs
  a hill of ruffs

S

• salmon
  a bind of salmon
• sandpipers
  a fling of sandpipers
  (A group of sandpipers is also called a bind, cluster, contradiction, or hill.)
• sardines
  a shoal of sardines
  (A group of sardines is also called a school or family.)
• sea horses
  a herd of horses
• seagulls
  a colony of seagulls
  (A group of seagulls is also called a flock.)
• seals
  a herd of seals
  (A group of seals is also called a plump or spring.)
• shad
  a shoal of shad
• sharks
  a school of sharks
• sheep
  a flock of sheep
  (A group of sheep is also called a herd, fold, or wing.)
• shelducks
  a dopping of shelducks
• shrimps
  a troupe of shrimps
• skunks
  a stench of skunks
• skylarks
  an exultation of skylarks
• sloths
  a slumber of sloths
• slugs
  a cornucopia of slugs
• snails
  a rout of snails
• snakes
  a den of snakes
• snipe
  a whisper of snipe
  (A group of snipe is also called a walk or wisp.)
• sparrows
  a host of sparrows
  (A group of sparrows is also called a host or ubiquity.)
• spiders
  a cluster of spiders
• squirrels
  a scurry of squirrels
  (A group of squirrels is also called a dray (a nest).)
• starfish
  a galaxy of starfish
• starlings
  a murmuration of starlings
• sticklebacks
  a spread of sticklebacks
• stingrays
  a fever of stingrays
• stoats
  a pack of stoats
• storks
  a muster of storks
• swallows
  a flight of swallows
• swans
  a bevy of swans
  (A group of swans is also called a bank or wedge (in V formation in flight).)
• swifts
  a flock of swifts
• swine
  a drift of swine
  (A group of swine is also called a sounder (wild swine), or trip(tame swine).)
• swordfish
  a flotilla of swordfish

T

• tapirs
  a candle of tapirs
• termites
  a colony of termites
• terriers
  a terror of terriers
• thrushes
  a mutation of thrushes
• tigers
  a streak of tigers
• toads
  a knot of toads
• tortoises
  a creep of tortoises
• toucans
  a durante of toucans
• trout
  a hover of trout
• turkeys
  a rafter of turkeys
  (A group of turkeys is also called a raffle.)
• turtle doves
  a pitying of turtle doves
  (A group of turtle doves is also called a dole.)
• turtles
  a bale of turtles

U

• unicorns
  a blessing of unicorns

V

• vipers
  a nest of vipers
• voles
  a colony of voles
• vultures
  a wake of vultures

W

• wallabies
  a mob of wallabies
• walruses
  a herd of walruses
• warthogs
  a sounder of warthogs
• wasps
  a swarm of wasps
  (A group of wasps is also called a nest.)
• waterfowl
  a knob of waterfowl
  (The term knob refers to a group of less than 30 waterfowl. A group of waterfowl is also called a raft (on water) or bunch.)
• weasels
  a sneak of weasels
• whales
  a pod of whales
  (A group of whales is also called a school, plump, herd, or gam.)
• widgeon
  a company of widgeon
  (A group of widgeon is also called a coil.)
• wild boars
  a sounder of boars
• wild horses
  a herd of wild horses
• wildcats
  a destruction of wildcats
• willows
  a bend of willows
• wolves
  a pack of wolves
  (A group of wolves is also called a rout.)
• wombats
  a mob of wombats
• woodcocks
  a fall of woodcocks
• woodpeckers
  a descension of woodpeckers
  (A group of woodpeckers is also called a descent.)
• worms
  a clew of worms
• wrens
  a herd of wrens

Y

• yaks
  a herd of yaks
  (A group of yaks is also called a cabinet.)
• yellowhammers
  a flock of yellowhammers

Z

• zebras
  a herd of zebras
  (A group of zebras is also listed as a dazzle, but this is a fanciful word, i.e., clearly made up and not a recognized collective noun for zebras.)

Infographic for Collective Nouns

This is a list of collective nouns for animals, but don't forget that there are also collective nouns for people and things. Learn more about collective nouns.

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