Some of the group names of birds are straightforward in their meaning, named after obvious attributes or behaviour, while others are more perculiar or a product of the time.Ī ‘murder of crows’ likely comes from medieval peasants fears of the jet black, and slightly ‘sinister-looking’ birds that were often seen in graveyards, while ‘an unkindness of ravens’ refers to their perceived poor parenting in the 19th century. Many of our favourite collective nouns for birds date back to the 15th century, and have managed to stay in our memory as they were recorded and published in Books of Courtesy handbooks designed to ‘educate nobility’. List of Collective Nouns For Birds Bird Species So, let’s spread our wings and delve into this enchanting lexicon, exploring the captivating collective nouns and names for groups of birds below. ![]() These special terms, known as collective nouns, bring a touch of poetry and whimsy to our language, enriching our descriptions of avian behavior and adding a dash of charm to birdwatching experiences.įrom a “charm” of finches to a “murder” of crows, the collective nouns for birds not only convey the beauty of the natural world, but also evoke a sense of wonder and curiosity. We can also come over to your school for an animal school visit or arrange for an animal workshop with us where the children can learn about looking after animals and animal behaviour, and have fun too.Birds of a feather flock together, but what is this flock called? Turns out, it depends on the species!Īs our avian friends take to the skies, they often gather in social groups of birds that are not only visually captivating, but also come with unique names. Our mobile zoo has many friendly animals such as rabbits, tarantulas, geckos, vinegaroons and more, perfect for an animal party. Extra informationĪnimal-Club provides animal parties or animal handling workshops. You will be able to see, learn and interact with many wonderful animals with the help of our presenters. Parrots can either be a company or pandemonium, which i like to pretend depends on how good their manager is. That’s what makes it so surprising that a group of them is a parliament. Owls are wise, dignified and experts at what they do. Personally i think we should stick with swarm!Ī plague of locusts invokes imagery of biblical punishment and yet a flock of lice is perhaps the most thought of all. Mammals have some interesting, fitting and often hilarious collective nouns but that doesn’t mean you should overlook birds, insects and fish.Īn army of ants or caterpillars, for example, offers up some charming imagery of tiny insects marching off to war.Ī float or bask of crocodiles fits the bone chilling yet awesome stillness of a crocodile stalking prey.Ī paddling of ducks floating across a pond is almost too cute to bear and so we must swiftly move on.įlies are given far too much credit, being referred to as a business when in groups. Since this word usually refers to an animals lair, it makes sense that the term would also be used in the context of a hideout, which is a type of lair. Find both of these things with this list Dictionary. ![]() A gang of weasels taps into the mischievous and shockingly vicious nature of the seemingly cute animal.Ī wisdom of wombats seems to point to some deep rooted intelligence and knowledge (and i mean DEEP).įinishing off our mammal section, we have a tower of giraffes. Its tough to find the right collective nouns for people when youre unsure of the rules or your options. These collective nouns are more focused on the appearance of the animal, quite an apt way of naming them in all fairness!Ī stench of skunks feels a little mean, albeit fair. In a similar vein you might happen across a bloat of hippos or even a prickle of porcupines. Otters float around in groups holding hands forming an adorable raft and hyenas are infamous for their unsettling cackle (and for being played by Whoopi Goldberg). I think the reason i love this one in particular is the way it ties into the witchy association of bats.Ī raft of otters and a cackle of hyenas show another common naming convention for collective nouns. You could see a colony of bats, a cloud of bats or, my personal favorite, a cauldron of bats. A great example of this is bats which, when seen in a group, can be referred to in several ways. More often that not, there are various options for an animal’s collective nouns. Starting off our list, let’s look at some great mammalian examples. Let’s get started! Collective nouns for mammals The most well known collective nouns are a bit dull, that’s why i want to show you some of my favorite collective nouns from around the animal kingdom. ![]() ![]() “But those are boring!” I hear you cry and you know what? You’re right. Think flock of hens, herd of cattle or pack of wolves. In case you’re not aware, ‘collective nouns’ is a fancy linguistic term that basically just means the name for a group of animals. Collective nouns are one of the most charming and endearing things to research and no, i’m not exaggerating.
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