A collective noun is a noun which describes a group of things or people. It means collective noun is a single noun that is made up of more than one thing or person or etc. In this lesson, you will learn a list of common collective nouns for animals in English.
Table of Contents
Understanding Collective Nouns for Animals
Definition and Purpose
Collective nouns are specific designations for groups of animals. They serve to give us a concise way to refer to a group of the same species collectively. For example, we use ‘a pride’ to describe a group of lions. These terms are not only useful for clear communication but also add a touch of eloquence to our language.
Types of Collective Nouns
Terms for Specific Animals
When we encounter a group of lions, we refer to them as a pride. A collection of geese in flight transforms into a skein, while on the ground, they become a gaggle. Let’s look at some terms for specific animals:
- Murder: Crows
- Pod: Dolphins or Whales
- Exaltation: Larks
- Clowder: Cats
General Terms for Groups of Animals
Sometimes, we need broader terms to address an assembly of various animals. For instance, we might use herd for a group of herbivorous land animals or flock for birds. Interestingly, some general terms also have specific animal associations. An example is:
- Pack: Canines or General Predatory Mammals
- Colony: Social Insects (like ants) or Nesting Birds
Collective Nouns for Animals
Learn collective nouns for animals in English.
- an army of ants
- a bevy of quail
- a broad of chickens
- a catch of fish
- a cloud of insects
- a colony of gulls
- a drove of horses
- a flight of birds
- a flock of sheep
- a gaggle of geese
- a haul of fish
- a herd of cattle
- a hive of bees
- a host of sparrows
- a kindle of kittens
- a litter of cubs
- a menagerie of wild animals
- a murder of crows
- a nest of mice
- a pack of wolves
- a plague of locusts
- a pride of lions
- a school of whales
- a shoal of fish
- a skein of wild geese in flight
- a string of horses
- a stud of horses
- a swarm of bees
- a team of oxen
- a train of camels
- a tribe of goats
- a troop of lions
- a zoo of wild animals
- a plague of locusts
- a pride of lions
- a shoal of fish
- zeal of zebras
- hover of trout
- raffle/rafter of turkeys
- bale/turn of turtles
- herd/pledge of wasps
- bunch/knob of waterfowl
- troop of baboons
- a skein of wild geese in flight
- a string of horses
- a stud of horses
- a swarm of bees
- cete/colony of badgers
- sloth of bears
- cluster/swarm/erst of bees
- flock/flight/pod of birds
- chatter of budgerigars
- a train of camels
- a tribe of goats
- a troop of lions
- a zoo of wild animals
- brood/clutch/peep of chickens
- chattering of choughs
- rag/rake of colts
- covert of coots
- a school of whales
- herd of cranes
- bask of crocodiles
- clan/hover/murder of crows
- litter of cubs
- a string of horses
- a stud of horses
- a swarm of bees
- a team of oxen
- herd of curlew
- herd/mob of deer
- herd/gang/obstinacy of buffalo
- bellowing of bullfinches
- drove of bullocks
- caravan/flock of camels
- flight/dole/prettying of doves
- paddling of ducks
- safe of ducks (on land)
- fling of dunlins
- convocation of eagles
- charm of finches
- shoal/run of fish
- a plague of locusts
- a pride of lions
- a school of whales
- a shoal of fish
- a skein of wild geese in flight
- flurry/regiment of flamingoes
- business/cloud/scraw/swarm of flies
- earth/lead/skulk of foxes
- a gaggle of geese (on land)
- skein/team/wedge of geese (in flight)
- corps/herd/troop of giraffes
- cloud of gnats
- flock/herd/trip of goats
- charm/chirp/drum of Goldfinch
- troubling of goldfish
- band of gorillas
- cloud of grasshoppers
- brace/leash/pack of greyhounds
- brood/pack/covey of grouse
- an army of ants
- a bevy of quail
- a broad of chickens
- a catch of fish
- a cloud of insects
- down/lie/trip/mute/husk of hares
- cast of hawks
- array of hedgehogs
- scattering/sedge/siege of herons
- army/gleam/shoal of herring
- bloat/pod of hippos
- drove/string/stud/team of horses
- pack/cry/kennel of hounds
- congregation/stand/wing of plovers
- rush/flight of pochards
- pod/school/herd/turmoil of porpoises
- covey of ptarmigan
- a sounder of wild boar
- destruction of wild cats
- a team of wild ducks (in flight)
- bunch/plump/knob of wildfowl
- litter of pups
- colony/school/herd/pod/gam of whales
- company/trip of wigeon
- pack/rout of wolves
- covey/fall/flight/plump of woodcock
- descent of woodpeckers
- herd of wrens
- shrewdness of apes
- army/column/state/swarm of ants
- herd/pace of asses
- crowd of ibis
- flight/swarm of insects
- brood/fluther/smuck of jellyfish
- herd/mob/troop of kangaroos
- kindle/litter of kittens
- deceit/desert of lapwings
- bevy/exaltation of larks
- leap/lepe of leopards
- pride/sawt/troop of lions
- tiding/tittering of magpies
- sord/suit of mallard
- stud of mares
- richesse of martens
- nest of mice
- company/labour/mumble of moles
- troop of monkeys
- cartload/pack/span/barren of mules
- puddling/watch of nightingales
- flock of ostrich
- bevy/family of otters
- parliament/stare of owls
- yoke of oxen
- pandemonium of parrots
- covey of partridges
- muster of peacocks
- swarm of eels
- herd/parade of elephants
- herd/gang of elk
- cast of falcons
- muster/rookery of penguins
- kit of pigeons
- farrow of piglets
Interactive Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Collective Noun
Options: army, cluster, flight, leap, pod, quiver, shiver, skein, team, tower
Questions:
- A ________ of ants.
- A ________ of giraffes.
- A ________ of butterflies.
- A ________ of doves.
- A ________ of frogs.
- A ________ of whales.
- A ________ of sharks.
- A ________ of ducks in flight.
- A ________ of horses.
- A ________ of cobras.
Answers:
- An army of ants.
- A tower of giraffes.
- A cluster of butterflies.
- A flight of doves.
- A leap of frogs.
- A pod of whales.
- A shiver of sharks.
- A skein of ducks in flight.
- A team of horses.
- A quiver of cobras.
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice – Identify the Collective Noun
- A group of flamingos is known as a: A) Flamboyance B) Blush C) Flare D) Pink
- A group of peacocks is called a: A) Party B) Ostentation C) Display D) Pride
- A group of jellyfish is referred to as a: A) School B) Smack C) Swarm D) Float
- What is a group of turkeys called? A) A gobble B) A rafter C) A flock D) A brood
- What do you call a group of quail? A) A bevy B) A covey C) Both A and B are correct D) A queue
- A group of porcupines is known as a: A) Prickle B) Spike C) Quill D) Pincushion
- What is the collective noun for a group of starlings? A) A constellation B) A galaxy C) A murmuration D) A cluster
- A group of hippos is called a: A) Bloat B) Pod C) Herd D) Thunder
- What do you call a group of ferrets? A) A business B) A scamper C) A sneak D) A mischief
- A group of penguins in the water is known as a: A) Huddle B) Waddle C) Raft D) Colony
Answers:
- A) Flamboyance
- B) Ostentation
- B) Smack
- B) A rafter
- C) Both A and B are correct
- A) Prickle
- C) A murmuration
- A) Bloat
- A) A business
- C) Raft
Collective Nouns for Animals | Infographic
Collective Nouns for Animals | Infographic 2
Collective Nouns for Animals | Infographic 3
Collective Nouns for Animals | Infographic 4
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some examples of collective nouns used to describe groups of specific animals?
A pride of lions, a murmuration of starlings, and a troop of monkeys are just a few examples of collective nouns that specifically describe animal groups. These terms often reflect the nature or behavior of the animals they describe.
Where can I find a comprehensive list of collective nouns for various animals and birds?
You can find comprehensive lists of collective nouns for animals and birds in wildlife guidebooks, educational websites like Grammar Monster, or language resources like 7ESL that specialize in English language nuances.
How can I teach students about collective nouns for animals using worksheets?
We can create fun and engaging worksheets that match animals to their collective nouns, use fill-in-the-blank exercises, or even incorporate crossword puzzles to teach students about these terms, making learning interactive.
Can you list some unique collective nouns used for categorizing different animal groups?
Certainly, we have unique collective nouns such as a cackle of hyenas, a crash of rhinoceroses, and an ostentation of peacocks. These imaginative terms add a layer of richness to our language.