In English, a collective noun is a word used to describe a group of animals as a single unit. Instead of saying “a group of lions,” you can say “a pride of lions.” These special terms make writing more vivid and specific, especially when describing wildlife or nature scenes.
Some of these names are based on observation (a swarm of bees), while others come from tradition or creativity (a murder of crows).
Below is a useful list of collective nouns for animals, organized by letter groups. Whether you’re a student, writer, or just curious about animal vocabulary, this list is a fun way to expand your knowledge of English.
Collective Nouns for Animals (A–C)
- Alligators: Congregation
- Antelope: Herd or Cluster
- Ants: Colony or Army
- Apes: Shrewdness
- Armadillos: Roll (rare)
- Badgers: Cete
- Bats: Cauldron
- Bears: Sloth or Sleuth
- Bees: Swarm or Hive
- Birds: Flock or Flight
- Buffalo: Gang or Obstinacy
- Butterflies: Kaleidoscope
- Camels: Caravan
- Cats (domestic): Clowder or Glaring
- Cattle: Herd or Drove
- Cheetahs: Coalition
- Chickens: Brood or Peep
- Crows: Murder
- Cranes: Siege
- Caterpillars: Army
Collective Nouns for Animals (D–F)
- Dogs: Pack or Kennel
- Dolphins: Pod or School
- Donkeys: Drove or Pace
- Doves: Cote or Dule
- Ducks: Raft (on water), Flock (in flight), or Team
- Eagles: Convocation
- Elephants: Parade or Herd
- Elk: Gang or Herd
- Emus: Mob
- Ferrets: Business
- Finches: Charm
- Fish: School or Shoal
- Flamingos: Stand or Flamboyance
- Flies: Swarm
- Foxes: Skulk or Leash
- Frogs: Army
Collective Nouns for Animals (G–L)
- Geese: Gaggle (on land or water) or Skein (in flight)
- Giraffes: Tower
- Goats: Trip or Tribe
- Goldfish: Glint or Troubling
- Gorillas: Band or Troop
- Grasshoppers: Cloud
- Hares: Down or Husk
- Hawks: Cast or Kettle
- Hedgehogs: Array or Prickle
- Hens: Brood
- Herons: Siege
- Hippopotamuses: Bloat or Thunder
- Horses: Team, Herd, or String
- Hounds: Pack
- Jellyfish: Smack or Bloom
- Kangaroos: Mob or Troop
- Kittens: Kindle or Litter
- Larks: Exaltation
- Leopards: Leap
- Lions: Pride or Troop
- Lizards: Lounge
- Llamas: Herd
Collective Nouns for Animals (M–R)
- Magpies: Tidings or Gulp
- Moles: Labour
- Monkeys: Troop or Barrel
- Moose: Herd
- Mosquitoes: Swarm
- Mules: Barren or Pack
- Otters: Raft (in water) or Romp (on land)
- Owls: Parliament
- Oxen: Team or Yoke
- Oysters: Bed
- Parrots: Pandemonium
- Peacocks: Muster or Ostentation
- Pelicans: Pod or Squadron
- Penguins: Colony, Huddle, or Waddle
- Pigs: Drift, Drove, or Sounder
- Pigeons: Kit or Loft
- Porcupines: Prickle
- Quail: Covey or Bevy
- Rabbits: Warren or Colony
- Raccoons: Gaze
- Ravens: Unkindness or Conspiracy
- Rhinoceroses: Crash
- Robins: Round
Collective Nouns for Animals (S–Z)
- Salamanders: Congress
- Seals: Pod or Colony
- Sharks: Shiver
- Sheep: Flock or Drove
- Snails: Escargatoire, Walk, or Rout (rare)
- Snakes: Nest, Bed, or Pit
- Sparrows: Host
- Squirrels: Dray or Scurry
- Starlings: Murmuration
- Stingrays: Fever
- Swans: Bevy (on land) or Wedge (in flight)
- Termites: Swarm
- Tigers: Streak or Ambush
- Toads: Knot
- Trout: Hover
- Turkeys: Rafter
- Turtles: Bale or Nest
- Vultures: Wake (on ground) or Kettle (in flight)
- Walruses: Herd or Pod
- Wasps: Swarm
- Weasels: Gang or Confusion
- Whales: Pod or School
- Wolves: Pack or Route
- Woodpeckers: Descent
- Zebras: Dazzle or Zeal
Most Interesting Collective Nouns for Animals
Some animal group names are surprisingly creative and poetic. Here are a few standout examples that often surprise English learners:
- A murder of crows – dark and dramatic, often used in literature.
- A parliament of owls – suggesting wisdom and formality.
- A prickle of porcupines – a playful nod to their sharp quills.
- A shiver of sharks – evokes fear and cold-blooded precision.
- An unkindness of ravens – mysterious and haunting.
- A flamboyance of flamingos – perfect for their vivid color and flair.
- A dazzle of zebras – reflects their striking striped appearance.
- A confusion of weasels – light-hearted and descriptive.
- A knot of toads – unexpected but firmly established.
- A bloat of hippos – humorous and fitting for their size.
Example Sentences Using Collective Nouns for Animals
- A pride of lions rested under the shade of an acacia tree.
- We spotted a murder of crows circling above the field.
- A parliament of owls perched silently on the fence.
- The children watched a kaleidoscope of butterflies flutter through the garden.
- A flamboyance of flamingos waded gracefully in the shallow lagoon.
- The hikers encountered a bloat of hippos lounging in the river.
- A shiver of sharks passed beneath the boat, barely visible in the water.
- A raft of ducks floated lazily across the pond.
- The farmer led a herd of cattle back to the barn.
- A pack of wolves howled in the distance as night fell.
- A tower of giraffes grazed quietly near the horizon.
- We heard the buzzing of a swarm of bees near the orchard.
- A business of ferrets darted in and out of the burrows.
- The tourists were thrilled to see a crash of rhinoceroses at the watering hole.
- A confusion of weasels scattered through the underbrush when startled.
FAQs About Collective Nouns for Animals
Why do animals have specific group names?
Many animal group names originated from medieval English and were based on observation, creativity, or poetic description. While some are traditional (a herd of cattle), others are imaginative (a murder of crows).
Are collective nouns for animals still used today?
Yes. While some rare terms are mostly used in writing or trivia, many (like flock, herd, and pack) are common in both spoken and written English.
Can an animal have more than one collective noun?
Absolutely. Some animals have multiple accepted group names depending on context.
For example:
Ducks: raft (on water), team (in flight)
Owls: parliament or stare
Cattle: herd or drove
Are these terms formal or informal?
It depends. Common terms like herd or flock are used in formal writing. More creative ones (a dazzle of zebras, a prickle of porcupines) are often informal or literary.