This lesson covers the main sections related to animal group names. You will learn what these terms mean, see common examples, and explore collective nouns for birds, mammals, sea animals, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, insects, arachnids, and mollusks.
Learn Collective Nouns for Animals with 7ESL Video.
Contents
Animal Group Names
You probably already know group names for animals in your native language, so you also understand how useful they are. When talking or writing about animals in English, it is often helpful to know the correct term for a group of the same animal.
What Are Animal Group Names?
Animal group names, also called collective nouns for animals, are special words used to describe a group of animals of the same species. Learning these words can improve both your vocabulary and your ability to speak and write more naturally about animals.
Examples of Animal Group Names
- A herd of elephants
- A flock of birds
- A school of fish
- A pack of wolves
- A pride of lions
- A colony of ants
- A swarm of bees
- A troop of monkeys
- A brood of chicks
- A murder of crows
FAQ Related to Collective Nouns for Animals
What is a group of turkeys called?
- A flock of turkeys
- A rafter of turkeys (often used for wild turkeys)
What is a group of owls called?
- A parliament of owls
- A stare of owls
What is a group of ravens called?
- An unkindness of ravens
- A conspiracy of ravens
What is a group of frogs called?
- An army of frogs
- A colony of frogs
What is a group of flamingos called?
- A stand of flamingos
What is a group of rabbits called?
- A colony of rabbits
- A warren of rabbits
What is a group of foxes called?
- A skulk of foxes
- A leash of foxes
What is a group of pigs called?
- A drove of pigs
- A herd of pigs
What is a group of bats called?
- A colony of bats
What is a group of bears called?
- A sloth of bears
What is a group of geese called?
- A gaggle of geese
- A skein of geese
List of Animal Group Names
Learn the names of different groups of animals in English. The tables below are sorted by animal name (A–Z) to make it easier to find the collective noun you need.
Collective Nouns for Birds
Summary Table – Collective Nouns for Birds (A–Z by Animal)
| Bird | Collective noun(s) |
|---|---|
| Auk | A colony, flock, or raft of auks |
| Avocet | A colony of avocets |
| Bittern | A sedge or siege of bitterns |
| Bobolink | A chain of bobolinks |
| Bullfinch | A bellowing of bullfinches |
| Bustard | A flock of bustards |
| Capon | A muse of capons |
| Chicken | A brood, clutch, or peep of chickens |
| Coot | A covert, commotion, or fleet of coots |
| Cormorant | A flight or gulp of cormorants |
| Crane | A sedge, herd, or siege of cranes |
| Crow | A murder, hover, or muster of crows |
| Dove | A dole, flight, or pitying of doves |
| Dotterel | A trip of dotterels |
| Duck | A flush of ducks |
| Eagle | A convocation or aerie of eagles |
| Falcon | A cast of falcons |
| Finch | A charm, trembling, or trimming of finches |
| Flamingo | A stand of flamingos |
| Goose | A gaggle, skein, team, or wedge of geese |
| Goldfinch | A charm, chattering, or drum of goldfinches |
| Goshawk | A flight of goshawks |
| Grouse | A covey, pack, or flight of grouse |
| Guillemot | A bazaar of guillemots |
| Gull | A colony of gulls |
| Hawk | A kettle, cast, or mew of hawks |
| Hen | A brood of hens |
| Heron | A sedge, siege, or rookery of herons |
| Hummingbird | A charm, chattering, or drum of hummingbirds |
| Ibis | A colony of ibises |
| Lapwing | A deceit or desert of lapwings |
| Lark | An exaltation or ascension of larks |
| Mallard | A flush or puddling of mallards |
| Magpie | A congregation, tiding, or tribe of magpies |
| Moorhen | A plump of moorhens |
| Nightingale | A watch of nightingales |
| Ostrich | A flock or pride of ostriches |
| Owl | A parliament or stare of owls |
| Parrot | A company, flock, pandemonium, or prattle of parrots |
| Peacock | An ostentation, muster, or pride of peacocks |
| Pelican | A pod or scoop of pelicans |
| Penguin | A colony, parcel, or rookery of penguins |
| Pheasant | A bouquet, head, or warren of pheasants |
| Pigeon | A flock, kit, or flight of pigeons |
| Plover | A congregation, band, or stand of plovers |
| Redwing | A crowd of redwings |
| Rook | A parliament, building, or congregation of rooks |
| Sandpiper | A fling of sandpipers |
| Seabird | A cloud of seabirds |
| Seagull | A squabble of seagulls |
| Sparrow | A host or tribe of sparrows |
| Starling | A chattering, cloud, or congregation of starlings |
| Stork | A flight, mustering, or phalanx of storks |
| Swallow | A flight or gulp of swallows |
| Swan | A bank, bevy, herd, or wedge of swans |
| Teal | A spring or raft of teals |
| Thrush | A mutation of thrushes |
| Turkey | A flock or rafter of turkeys |
| Turtledove | A pitying of turtledoves |
| Vulture | A colony, committee, or wake of vultures |
| Waterfowl | A plump, bunch, or raft of waterfowl |
| Wildfowl | A trip, bunch, or skein of wildfowl |
| Woodcock | A fall, covey, or flight of woodcocks |
| Woodpecker | A descent of woodpeckers |
| Wren | A herd or flock of wrens |
Collective Nouns for Mammals
Learn collective nouns for groups of mammals in English.
Summary Table – Collective Nouns for Mammals (A–Z by Animal)
| Mammal | Collective noun(s) |
|---|---|
| Antelope | A herd, cluster, or tribe of antelopes |
| Ape | A shrewdness or troop of apes |
| Ass | A pace, drove, or herd of asses |
| Baboon | A congress, flange, or troop of baboons |
| Badger | A colony of badgers |
| Bat | A cloud or colony of bats |
| Bear | A sloth of bears; an aurora or pack of polar bears |
| Beaver | A colony, family, or lodge of beavers |
| Bison | A herd or gang of bison |
| Boar (wild) | A sounder of wild boars |
| Bottle-nosed whale | A grind of bottle-nosed whales |
| Buffalo | A gang, herd, or obstinacy of buffalo |
| Buck (male deer) | A herd or leash of bucks |
| Camel | A caravan, flock, herd, or train of camels |
| Cattle | A herd, drove, or mob of cattle |
| Cheetah | A coalition of cheetahs |
| Chimpanzee / Gorilla | A band or whoop of gorillas |
| Cony | A bury or game of conies |
| Coyote | A pack, band, or rout of coyotes |
| Cur | A cowardice of curs |
| Dog | A pack or kennel of dogs |
| Dolphin | A pod, school, flock, or team of dolphins |
| Donkey | A herd or drove of donkeys |
| Elk | A gang or herd of elks |
| Elephant | A herd or parade of elephants |
| Fox | A skulk, earth, leash, or troop of foxes |
| Gerbil | A horde of gerbils |
| Giraffe | A journey, herd, or tower of giraffes |
| Goat | A trip, flock, or herd of goats |
| Gnu / Wildebeest | A herd or implausibility of gnus or wildebeests |
| Guinea pig | A group of guinea pigs |
| Hamster | A horde of hamsters |
| Hare | A drove, down, flick, or husk of hares |
| Hedgehog | An array or prickle of hedgehogs |
| Hippopotamus | A bloat, crash, herd, or pod of hippopotami |
| Hind (female deer) | A parcel of hinds |
| Hog | A drove, drift, or parcel of hogs |
| Horse | A herd, stable, string, stud, or team of horses |
| Hound | A pack, cry, hunt, or kennel of hounds |
| Hyena | A clan of hyenas |
| Ibex | A herd of ibexes |
| Impala | A couple of impalas |
| Jackrabbit | A husk of jackrabbits |
| Kangaroo | A mob or troop of kangaroos |
| Kitten | A kindle or litter of kittens |
| Lamb | A fall of lambs |
| Leopard | A leap of leopards |
| Leveret | A kindle of leverets |
| Lion | A pride of lions |
| Llama | A herd of llamas |
| Marten | A richness of martens |
| Mouse | A mischief, horde, or nest of mice |
| Mole | A labor, company, or movement of moles |
| Mongoose | A band or pack of mongooses |
| Monkey | A troop, mission, or wilderness of monkeys |
| Moose | A herd of moose |
| Mule | A barren, pack, or span of mules |
| Otter | A family, bevy, raft, or romp of otters |
| Ox | A team, drove, herd, span, or yoke of oxen |
| Piglet | A farrow or litter of piglets |
| Pig | A drove, drift, flock, or herd of pigs |
| Pony | A string or herd of ponies |
| Porcupine | A prickle of porcupines |
| Porpoise | A school, herd, or pod of porpoises |
| Prairie dog | A coterie or town of prairie dogs |
| Raccoon | A nursery or gaze of raccoons |
| Racehorse | A field or string of racehorses |
| Rabbit | A colony, bury, nest, warren, or wrack of rabbits |
| Rat | A colony, horde, mischief, or swarm of rats |
| Rhinoceros | A crash, herd, or stubbornness of rhinoceroses |
| Seal | A colony, harem, herd, pod, or rookery of seals |
| Skunk | A surfeit of skunks |
| Squirrel | A dray or colony of squirrels |
| Stoat | A pack or trip of stoats |
| Swine | A drove, herd, drift, or trip of swine |
| Tiger | An ambush or streak of tigers |
| Vole | A colony of voles |
| Walrus | A huddle, herd, or ugly of walruses |
| Weasel | A sneak, gang, or pack of weasels |
| Whale | A school, pod, gam, run, or shoal of whales |
| Wildebeest | A herd of wildebeests |
| Wombat | A mob of wombats |
| Wolf | A pack, herd, or rout of wolves |
| Yak | A herd of yaks |
| Zebra | A cohort, herd, or zeal of zebras |
Collective Nouns for Sea Animals
Learn collective nouns for fish and other groups of sea animals. This section is organized by animals that live in the sea or water, while some of them, such as whales and dolphins, are biologically mammals.
Summary Table – Collective Nouns for Sea Animals (A–Z by Animal)
| Sea animal | Collective noun(s) |
|---|---|
| Angelfish | A company of angelfish |
| Archerfish | A company of archerfish |
| Barracuda | A battery of barracudas |
| Bass | A fleet or shoal of bass |
| Blackfish | A grind of blackfish |
| Butterflyfish | A school of butterflyfish |
| Cod | A school of cod |
| Dogfish | A troop of dogfish |
| Dragonet fish | A swarm of dragonet fish |
| Eel | A swarm of eels |
| Fish | A school, shoal, catch, haul, or run of fish |
| Flying fish | A glide of flying fish |
| Goldfish | A glint or troubling of goldfish |
| Herring | A glean, army, or shoal of herring |
| Mackerel | A shoal of mackerel |
| Minnow | A shoal, steam, stream, or swarm of minnows |
| Pilchard | A shoal or school of pilchards |
| Porcupine fish | A cluster of porcupine fish |
| Rainbow fish | A party of rainbow fish |
| Roach | A shoal of roach |
| Salmon | A bind, leap, school, shoal, or run of salmon |
| Sardine | A family of sardines |
| Shad | A shoal of shads |
| Shark | A shiver, school, or shoal of sharks |
| Smelt | A quantity of smelts |
| Shrimp | A troupe of shrimp |
| Squid | A squad of squid |
| Stickleback | A shoal or spread of sticklebacks |
| Swordfish | A flotilla of swordfish |
| Tuna | A float of tuna |
Collective Nouns for Amphibians, Reptiles, Invertebrates, Insects, and Arachnids
Learn collective nouns for several other groups of animals in English, including collective nouns for amphibians and reptiles.
Collective Nouns for Amphibians and Reptiles
| Animal | Collective noun(s) |
|---|---|
| Cobra | A quiver of cobras |
| Crocodile | A bask, congregation, float, or nest of crocodiles |
| Dinosaur (extinct animal) | A herd or pack of dinosaurs |
| Dragon (mythical creature) | A flight or wing of dragons |
| Frog | An army, colony, or knot of frogs |
| Iguana | A mess of iguanas |
| Snake | A den, bed, knot, nest, or pit of snakes |
| Toad | A knot, nest, or knob of toads |
| Turtle | A bale or turn of turtles |
| Viper | A nest or generation of vipers |
Collective Nouns for Invertebrates
| Invertebrate | Collective noun(s) |
|---|---|
| Bacteria | A culture of bacteria |
| Jellyfish | A smack of jellyfish |
| Worm | A clew of worms |
Collective Nouns for Insects and Arachnids
Learn collective nouns for groups of insects and arachnids in English.
| Insect/arachnid | Collective noun(s) |
|---|---|
| Ant | A colony, army, or swarm of ants |
| Bee | A swarm, hive, cluster, or grist of bees |
| Butterfly | A flight, rabble, or swarm of butterflies |
| Caterpillar | An army of caterpillars |
| Cockroach | An intrusion of cockroaches |
| Fly | A swarm, cloud, business, grist, or hatch of flies |
| Gnat | A cloud, horde, rabble, or swarm of gnats |
| Grasshopper | A cloud, cluster, or swarm of grasshoppers |
| Hornet | A nest or swarm of hornets |
| Insect | A flight, horde, plague, rabble, or swarm of insects |
| Louse | A flock, colony, or infestation of lice |
| Locust | A plague, cloud, or swarm of locusts |
| Mosquito | A scourge or swarm of mosquitoes |
| Spider | A clutter of spiders |
| Termite | A colony or swarm of termites |
| Wasp | A colony or nest of wasps |
Collective Nouns for Mollusks
| Mollusk | Collective noun(s) |
|---|---|
| Clam | A bed of clams |
| Cockle | A bed of cockles |
| Mussel | A bed of mussels |
| Oyster | A bed or hive of oysters |
| Snail | A rout or walk of snails |
Note: While many specific terms exist, common collective nouns like group, flock, herd, and pack are often acceptable in daily conversation.
