List of Names for Groups of Animals

Whether it is a group of mammals, birds or even insects, there is a unique collective noun to identify the specific group, although some of these names are rarely used. Most people are likely to use the general term flock for a group of eagles, rather than the proper term convocation. Still, it’s good to know the correct collective noun, even if it’s just to wow your friends.

Collective Names for Animals

We’ve gathered together a list of 60 groups of animals and their collective nouns – some animal groups can have more than one collective noun – that you may or may not have heard of. Whenever animals gather in groups, they are formally called:

• Apes: a shrewdness
• Badgers: a cete
• Bats: a colony, cloud or camp
• Bears: a sloth or sleuth
• Bees: a swarm
• Buffalo: a gang or obstinacy
• Camels: a caravan
• Cats: a clowder or glaring; Kittens: a litter or kindle; Wild cats: a destruction
• Cobras: a quiver
• Crocodiles: a bask
• Crows: a murder
• Dogs: a pack; Puppies: a litter
• Donkeys: a drove
• Eagles: a convocation
• Elephants: a parade
• Elk: a gang or a herd
• Falcons: a cast
• Ferrets: a business
• Fish: a school
• Flamingos: a stand
• Foxes: a skulk or leash
• Frogs: an army
• Geese: a gaggle
• Giraffes: a tower
• Gorillas: a band
• Hippopotami: a bloat
• Hyenas: a cackle
• Jaguars: a shadow
• Jellyfish: a smack
• Kangaroos: a troop or mob
• Lemurs: a conspiracy
• Leopards: a leap
• Lions: a pride
• Moles: a labor
• Monkeys: a barrel or troop
• Mules: a pack
• Otters: a family
• Oxen: a team or yoke
• Owls: a parliament
• Parrots: a pandemonium
• Pigs: a drift or drove (younger pigs), or a sounder or team (older pigs)
• Porcupines: a prickle
• Rabbits: a herd
• Rats: a colony
• Ravens: an unkindness
• Rhinoceroses: a crash
• Shark: a shiver
• Skunk: a stench
• Snakes: a nest
• Squirrels: a dray or scurry
• Stingrays: a fever
• Swans: a bevy or game (if in flight: a wedge)
• Tigers: an ambush or streak
• Toads: a knot
• Turkeys: a gang or rafter
• Turtles: a bale or nest
• Weasels: a colony, gang or pack
• Whales: a pod, school, or gam
• Wolves: a pack
• Zebras: a zeal

To expand your vocabulary even more, YourDictionary can help you learn some animal names in Spanish.

Animal Names Can Highlight Traits

Not only is it fun to say certain names for groups of animals, but it is interesting as well. The collective names given to groups of animals can be as unique as the animals themselves and highlight certain traits of that group. Remember that, and when you think of a group of skunks the word stench should immediately come to mind.

Our list is by no means exhaustive, so please share more collective nouns for groups of animals in the comments below.