Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Animal Congregations, or What Do You Call a Group of.....?

So you're stuck on 15 down (the collective name for a group of rhinos) in today's crossword puzzle or you are writing the definitive novel about 17th century England and you need to know what they called a group of rooks, or perhaps you are into writing poetry and want to celebrate spring with a reference to larks. Whatever the motivating factor, we have received a spate of questions on collective nouns or group names for all sorts of critters. Perhaps the following, gleaned and compiled from several sources, will help. I've tried to indicate proper usage for terms that apply to a specific type of assemblage or to only a single gender or age, but some of my sources were fairly general. Where my sources disagreed on spelling, I let the majority rule. This listing exhausts the meager pile of references available at Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center; if the animal that you are interested in doesn't appear here, please, please, ask someone else, because I can't help you!

If you are interested in derivation of some of these names, or if you just want some fun reading, check out James Lipton's book entitled "An Exaltation of Larks" 2nd edition (Penguin Books 1977). Birders interested in avian nomenclature should see Bruce Campbell and Elizabeth Lack's "A Dictionary of Birds" (Buteo Books 1985).

Happy Trivia, Dave Fellows

Mammals Apes A shrewdness Asses A pace Badgers A cete Bats A colony Bears A sloth, sleuth Buffalo A gang, an obstinacy (I suspect these refer to old world buffalo; use "herd" for American bison) Cats A clowder, a pounce; for kittens...A kindle, litter, an intrigue Cattle A drove, herd Deer A herd, bevy (refers only to roe deer) Dogs A litter (young), pack (wild), cowardice (of curs); specific to hounds...A cry, mute, pack, kennel Elephants A herd Elk A gang Ferrets A business Fox A leash, skulk, earth Giraffes A tower Goats A tribe, trip Gorillas A band Hippopotamuses A bloat Horses A team, harras, rag (for colts), stud (a group of horses belonging to a single owner, string (ponies) Hyenas A cackle Kangaroos A troop Leopards A leap Lions A pride Martens A richness Moles A labor Monkeys A troop, barrel Mules A pack, span, barren Otters A romp Oxen A team, yoke Pigs A drift, drove, litter (young), sounder (of swine), team, passel (of hogs), singular (refers to a group of boars) Porcupines A prickle Rabbits A colony, warren, nest, herd (domestic only), litter (young); specific to hares...A down, husk Rhinoceroses A crash Seals A pod, herd Sheep A drove, flock, herd Squirrels A dray, scurry Tigers A streak Whales A pod, gam, herd Wolves A pack, rout or route (when in movement)

Birds Birds in general A flight (in the air), flock (on the ground), volary, brace (generally for gamebirds or waterfowl, referring to a pair or couple killed by a hunter) Bitterns A sedge Buzzards A wake Bobolinks A chain Chicks (of many species) A brood; clutch Coots A cover Cormorants A gulp Cranes A sedge Crows A murder, horde Dotterel A trip Doves A dule, pitying (specific to turtle doves) Ducks A brace, flock (in flight), raft (on water) team, paddling (on water), badling Eagles A convocation Finches A charm Flamingos A stand Geese A flock, gaggle (on the ground), skein (in flight) Grouse A pack (in late season) Gulls A colony Hawks A cast, kettle (flying in large numbers), boil (two or more spiraling in flight) Herons A sedge, a siege Jays A party, scold Lapwings A deceit Larks An exaltation Mallards A sord (in flight), brace Magpies A tiding, gulp, murder, charm Nightingales A watch Owls A parliament Parrots A company Partridge A covey Peacocks A muster, an ostentation Penguins A colony Pheasant A nest, nide (a brood), nye, bouquet Plovers A congregation, wing (in flight) Ptarmigans A covey Rooks A building Quail A bevy, covey Ravens An unkindness Snipe A walk, a wisp Sparrows A host Starlings A murmuration Storks A mustering Swallows A flight Swans A bevy, wedge (in flight) Teal A spring Turkeys A rafter, gang Widgeons A company Woodcocks A fall Woodpeckers A descent

Reptiles and Amphibians Crocodiles A bask Frogs An army Toads A knot Turtles A bale, nest Snakes, vipers A nest

Fish Fish in general A draft, nest, school, shoal (some authors claim that the common "school" is a corruption of shoal, and therefore incorrect) Bass A shoal Herring An army Sharks A shiver Trout A hover