Animals Vocabulary
When learning English, you are likely to come across a lot of animals, and each of these has its own name. There is a range of types of animals and it is often easier to learn the names of these animals by type, for example, mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects. You may also like to learn animal names by location such as farm animals, jungle creatures, and pets.
Learn Animals Names with 7ESL Video.
Some people like to learn animal names alphabetically. But whichever method you choose, learning the names of animals in English is an important part of your learning.
Contents
Common Animal Names
Animals are an essential part of our planet’s ecosystem, and they come in all shapes and sizes. From the smallest insects to the largest mammals, animals play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of nature.
| Dog | Cat | Horse | Cow |
| Pig | Sheep | Goat | Chicken |
| Duck | Turkey | Deer | Moose |
| Bear | Lion | Tiger | Elephant |
| Giraffe | Zebra | Rhino | Hippo |
| Monkey | Gorilla | Chimpanzee | Koala |
| Kangaroo | Wallaby | Platypus | Crocodile |
| Alligator | Snake | Turtle | Frog |
| Toad | Fish | Whale | Dolphin |
| Shark | Octopus | Crab | Lobster |
| Shrimp | Jellyfish | Starfish | Bee |
| Butterfly | Ant | Spider | Scorpion |
| Mosquito | Fly | Grasshopper | Ladybug |
| Beetle | Worm | Snail | Slug |
| Bat | Fox | Wolf | Coyote |
| Raccoon | Skunk | Squirrel | Chipmunk |
| Hedgehog | Rabbit | Hare | Otter |
| Beaver | Mouse | Rat | Hamster |
| Guinea pig | Ferret | Parrot | Cockatoo |
| Macaw | Canary | Finch | Pigeon |
| Seagull | Pelican | Swan | Goose |
| Duckling | Penguin | Ostrich | Emu |
| Llama | Camel | Bison | Elk |
Types of Animals
With our world being home to vast and incredible species of animals, you can’t help but wonder just how many of them are really out there. They’re everywhere. On land, sea, and air. Some of these animals can generate their own ‘body heat while others have to rely on the environment to keep themselves warm. As you read further, you will discover for yourself just how many different kinds of animals there are.
There are some people who agree that most of these animals can be divided into two main categories: those who have a backbone (vertebrae) and those without a backbone (invertebrates).
- Mammals
- Amphibians
- Birds
- Reptiles
- Fish
- Vertebrates
- Invertebrates
Mammals
Often large ferocious creatures. Known for their intelligence making them more adept at surviving their environment. Mammals are vertebrates, often with fur and sweat glands, and have the ability to produce milk thru ‘mammary glands. Most mammals are pack animals, often belonging to groups as large as 40.
Examples of Mammals:
- Cats
- Jaguars
- Dogs
- Panthers
- Horses
- Tigers
- Kangaroos
- Leopards
- Elephants
- Lions
- Dolphins
- Whales
- Monkeys
- Pumas
- Humans
Special moment:
Water shrews are these tiny, super tiny surprisingly ferocious, hyperactive predators. Often hunting insects and smaller creatures. Storing air bubbles to swim gracefully through the water. These small creatures are incredibly fast when they run.
Amphibians
You know you’ve encountered an amphibian when you see an animal that has moist skin without the presence of scales that looks very slimy. This slimy texture allows them to better absorb water and gas in their environment. Throughout their evolution, at an early stage, they have developed complex systems such as gills to help them breathe underwater. As they grow, they start developing lunges enabling them to breathe air. Making them both land and sea creatures.
Examples of Amphibians:
- Newts
- Toads
- Salamanders
- Frogs
- Hyla
- Diplocaulus
- Axoloti
- Urodela
- Microsauria
Special mention:
Caecilians are an unusual type of amphibian. They have the body of a worm which means they can burrow but the face of a snake, with mouths equipped with dozens of needle-like teeth. You can think of them as legless (sometimes blind) salamanders.
Birds
You can easily identify birds because of their beaks, feathers, and wings, and they lay eggs from the largest such as the Wandering Albatross to the tiniest Bee Hummingbird. Some of them are incredibly lightweight, making flying an effortless task.
Examples of Birds
- Hummingbird
- Owl
- Toucan
- Blue Jay
- Dove
- Sparrow
- Vulture
- Duck
- Shoveler
- Eagle
- Frogmouth
- Seagull
- Parrot
- Scarlet Iiwi
- Shoebill Stork
Flightless Birds
Some birds have more weight compared to their lightweight counterpart. They also have lesser wing bones and don’t have breastbone keel (This bone connects to their ‘flight muscles”). Thanks to evolution, their lack of flight is compensated as they are more suited to running and walking than flying.
Examples of Flightless Birds:
- Cassowary
- Ostrich
- Kiwi
- Flightless Cormorant
- Southern Steamer Duck
- Emu
Special mention:
Penguins are more adept in swimming as their wings (flippers) and feet have evolved to act as propellers which allows them to swim quickly.
Reptiles
You can recognize reptiles even from afar because of their scales. Not only do these scales provide them extra protection against predators, but in some species, they can even help them survive arid, dry environments or help them glide through turrid waters or narrow muddy waterways.
Examples of Reptiles:
- Geckos
- Crocodiles
- Lizards
- Sea Turtles
- Black Caimans
- Tortoise
- Snakes
- Alligators
- Komodo Dragons
- Iguanas
- Chameleons
- Gharials
Special mention:
Mary river turtles known as the punk rock creature of the sea are known for their green mohawk. Often found in Queensland, Australia – their mohawks are made up of algae.
Fish
Fishes are known to reside underwater and can be identified because of their fins and gills. Most of them are covered in scales, which protect their bodies against predators, and mucus that makes swimming easier.
Examples of Fishes:
- Salmon
- Tilapia
- Handfish
- Tuna
- Catfish
- Wobbegong
- Bass
- Vampire squid
- Trout
- Lionfish
- Sardines
- Carp
- Pike
- Eels
- Angelfish
- Parrotfish
- Clownfish
- Angelfish
Special mention:
Sunfish (Mola Mola) is, arguably, one of the most unusual sea creatures to have ever, ever existed. A floating piece of meat that weighs over 4,000 pounds with the ability to lay over 300 million (yes, 300 million) eggs. Some call it stupid, some call them necessary, some call them dinner plates, and some just want to rant about it.
Vertebrates
Vertebrates are animals that have a backbone or spinal column. This group of animals is diverse and includes fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Invertebrates
These animals or creatures have no backbone or spinal cord. Their cells work in a complex yet, coordinated way, making their simply built-body movement at ease.
Worms
Worms are tube-like creatures that have no limbs, you will often see them in your garden or possibly anywhere where there is a constant source of water. You can see most worms but some worms live as parasites in the body of a living organism. Often dangerous for all types of animals including or especially people.
Examples of Worms:
- Earthworm
- Roundworm
- Threadworm
- Hookworm
- Tapeworms
- Whipworms
- Intestinal worms
- Flatworms
Special mention:
If you ever see a worm jump or a worm that kinda rattles with a jerk-like moment, eliminate it. These jumping worms are not good. They are not earthworms that are actually good for your soil. They’re invasive. They damage your soil.
Arthropods
Their skeleton is located outside their segmented body and has ‘jointed appendages.
Examples of arthropods:
- Insects
- Butterflies
- Beetles
- Lobsters
- Mites
- Centipedes
- Spiders
- Crabs
- Millipedes
Crustaceans
Crustaceans are a diverse group of arthropods, which are animals with jointed limbs and hard outer shells.
Examples of crustaceans:
- Crabs
- Lobsters
- Shrimp
- Crawfish
- Krill
- Barnacles
- Isopods
- Brine shrimp
- Mantis shrimp
- Hermit crabs
Insects
Insects are a class of invertebrate animals that belong to the phylum Arthropoda.
Examples of insects:
- Ants
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Cockroaches
- Dragonflies
- Fleas
- Flies
- Grasshoppers
- Ladybugs
- Mosquitoes
- Moths
- Termites
- Ticks
- Wasps
Spiders
Spiders are a group of arachnids that are known for their eight legs and two-part body.
Examples of spiders:
- Tarantula
- Black widow
- Brown recluse
- Wolf spider
- Jumping spider
- Orb-weaver spider
- Crab spider
- Daddy longlegs
- Fishing spider
Molluscs
These are soft-bodied animals that have exoskeletons. Most of them live underwater. Some snails are known to live on land while others live on rivers and seas.
Examples of Mollusks:
- Snails
- Octopus
- Snails
- Squids
- Cuttlefish
- Scallops
- Oysters
- Clams
Special mention:
Vampire squids are neither octopus nor squid. They have their own class called vampyromorphida. They don’t drink blood but they do eat dead bodies.
Echinoderms
Echinoderms live under the sea and all of them have a hard, spiny external structure. Their shapes vary from stars to spheres or elongated.
Examples of echinoderms:
- Starfish
- Sea urchins
- Sea cucumber
- Sea daisies
- Sea lilies
- Feather stars
- Basket stars
- Brittle stars
- Serpent stars
The diversity of animals is incredibly wide. All about similarities, differences, unique abilities, complex evolutions, and just breathtaking beauty. Having knowledge about them can help you avoid them (if they are dangerous), or preserve them from being endangered. With humans on top of the chain of intelligence, it is entirely possible to do what is needed to make the world a better place for all animals.
Shellfish
Shellfish is a term used to describe a group of aquatic invertebrates that are primarily used as food.
Examples of shellfish:
- Clams
- Oysters
- Mussels
- Scallops
- Crabs
- Lobsters
- Shrimp
- Crawfish
- Snails
- Abalone
- Cockles
Sponge
These animals dwell at the bottom of the sea. Their bodies have channels and pores that permit water circulation through them. They have no tissues or organs.
Examples of Sponges:
- Spongilla
- Hylonema
- Cliona
- Sycon
Animal Names (by Locations)
Pets
Pets are domesticated animals that are kept for companionship or enjoyment, rather than for work or food.
Examples of pets:
- Dogs
- Cats
- Fish (goldfish, tropical fish)
- Birds (parrots, finches)
- Rabbits
- Guinea pigs
- Hamsters
- Gerbils
- Mice
- Ferrets
- Snakes
- Turtles
- Hermit crabs
- Scorpions
Farm Animal Names
Farm animals are domesticated animals that are raised for agricultural purposes such as food, fiber, and labor.
Examples of farm animals:
- Cow
- Pig
- Sheep
- Goat
- Horse
- Donkey
- Chicken
- Duck
- Turkey
- Geese
- Rabbit
Wild Animal Names
Wild animals are those that live and thrive in natural environments, such as forests, deserts, grasslands, and oceans, without direct human intervention or care.
Examples of wild animals:
- Elephant
- Giraffe
- Zebra
- Lion
- Tiger
- Rhino
- Hippopotamus
- Gorilla
- Chimpanzee
- Wolf
- Fox
- Bear
- Deer
- Moose
- Elk
- Coyote
- Jaguar
- Leopard
- Cheetah
- Hyena
- Kangaroo
- Koala
- Panda
- Sloth
- Toucan
- Crocodile
- Alligator
- Snake
- Lizard
Sea Animals Names
Sea animals are creatures that live in the ocean or other bodies of saltwater.
Examples of sea animals:
- Fish (salmon, tuna,…)
- Sharks
- Dolphins
- Whales
- Seals
- Sea lions
- Walruses
- Sea turtles
- Octopuses
- Squid
- Jellyfish
- Starfish
- Crabs
- Lobsters
- Shrimp
- Oysters
- Clams
- Mussels
- Seagulls
- Pelicans
- Sea snakes
- Eels
- Stingrays
- Corals
- Sea urchins
Freshwater Animals Names
Freshwater animals are a diverse group of animals that live in bodies of freshwater such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands.
Examples of freshwater animals:
- Fish (salmon, catfish,…)
- Frogs
- Toads
- Turtles
- Crayfish
- Snails
- Otters
- Beavers
- Alligators
- Crocodiles
- Water snakes
Jungle Animals Names
Jungle animals are a diverse group of animals that are found in tropical rainforests and other types of dense forests around the world.
Examples of jungle animals:
- Jaguar
- Sloth
- Toucan
- Monkey
- Parrot
- Anaconda
- Gorilla
- Tiger
- Elephant
- Orangutan
- Chimpanzee
- Crocodile
- Panther
- Tapir
- Capybara
Mountain Animal Names
Mountain animals are a diverse group of animals that live in mountainous regions around the world.
Examples of mountain animals:
- Mountain goat
- Snow leopard
- Alpine ibex
- Golden eagle
- Himalayan tahr
- Rocky Mountain elk
- Chamois
- Bighorn sheep
- Pika
- Marmot
- Black bear
- Lynx
- Wolverine
- Red panda
Grassland Animal Names
Grassland animals are a diverse group of animals that live in open grassy plains and savannas around the world.
Examples of grassland animals:
- Bison
- Prairie dog
- Zebra
- Lion
- Giraffe
- Cheetah
- Wildebeest
- Gazelle
- Antelope
- Hyena
- Warthog
- Ostrich
- Kangaroo
- Fox
Rainforest Animal Names
Rainforest animals are a diverse group of animals that live in lush and dense forests in tropical regions around the world.
Examples of rainforest animals:
- Gorilla
- Jaguar
- Anaconda
- Toucan
- Sloth
- Macaw
- Monkey
- Capybara
- Okapi
- Tiger
- Orangutan
- Poison dart frog
- Tapir
Savanna Animal Names
Savanna animals are a diverse group of animals that live in the vast grasslands that are found in Africa, South America, Australia, and India.
Examples of savanna animals:
- African elephant
- Lion
- Giraffe
- Zebra
- Cheetah
- African buffalo
- Wildebeest
- Hippopotamus
- Warthog
- Ostrich
- Spotted hyena
- Antelope
Other List of Animals Categorized by Location
Other Animals Names
Male, Female, and Baby Animal Names
Many animals have specific names for males, females, and babies.
Examples of male, female, and baby animals:
Cat:
- Male: Tom
- Female: Queen, Molly, Bella
- Baby: Kitten
Dog:
- Male: Max, Charlie, Buddy
- Female: Daisy, Luna, Sadie
- Baby: Puppy
Horse:
- Male: Stallion
- Female: Mare
- Baby: Foal
Cow:
- Male: Bull
- Female: Cow
- Baby: Calf
Pig:
- Male: Boar
- Female: Sow
- Baby: Piglet
Sheep:
- Male: Ram
- Female: Ewe
- Baby: Lamb
Deer:
- Male: Buck
- Female: Doe
- Baby: Fawn
Duck:
- Male: Drake
- Female: Hen
- Baby: Duckling
Goose:
- Male: Gander
- Female: Goose
- Baby: Gosling
Rabbit:
- Male: Buck
- Female: Doe
- Baby: Bunny, Kit
Names of Animal Groups
Animal group names refer to the collective nouns used to describe a group of animals.
Examples of names for animal groups:
- A herd of elephants
- A pride of lions
- A pack of wolves
- A flock of birds
- A school of fish
- A swarm of bees
- A colony of ants
- A troop of monkeys
- A gaggle of geese
- A pod of whales
- A congress of baboons
- A litter of puppies
- A murder of crows
- A parliament of owls
- A clutch of chicks
- A brood of hens
- A colony of penguins
Other List of Animals, Types of Animals
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