With this extensive list of Collective Nouns – Group Of Birds, you can help your kids to learn new names. This list will not only help the children to understand about the collective nouns but also about various birds.
You can have a quick look at group names for animals before you move onto birds.
There are different words we use for a group of birds like flock, stand, cloud, cast. You can see the example sentences to understand the application of these words.
Following is a concise list of group names for different varieties of birds.
1. A flock of turkeys | a rafter of turkeys
Example: After an hour of fishing I saw a flock of turkeys on the opposite bank and shot one of the poults.
2. A parliament of owls | a stare of owls
Example: Millions of shoppers are now completely bowled out, confronted with a parliament of owls on every shelf in every shop.
3. A murder of crows | a parcel of crows
Example: The potential for all kinds of damage hovers in the air like a murder of crows waiting to strike.
4. An unkindness of ravens | A conspiracy of ravens
Example: At sunset, everyone returns to the porch to swill rum punch and wait for the conspiracy of ravens to swoop down.
5. A stand of flamingos
Example: Up go illuminated a stand of flamingos, Chinese lanterns, chile-pepper lights, and glowing plastic Santas.
6. A cloud of bats | A colony of bats
Example: We could use those or simply use hand nets, like a butterfly net, to catch our colony of bats.
7. A band Jays/A party Jays/A scold of jays
Example: We cannot recall ever having such large families of cardinals, downy and hairy woodpeckers, English sparrows, a band of blue jays, titmice, and chickadees.
8. A bazaar of guillemots
Example: It was the noise of thousands of baby cormorants, razorbills, gannets and a bazaar of guillemots, demanding food from their nests on the cliffs.
9. A bellowing of bullfinches
Example: Unusually high numbers of countryside birds like fieldfares, redwings, a bellowing of bullfinches, and yellowhammers were spotted in gardens.
10. A bevy/A covey/A drift of quails
Example: Wood said that while few would notice the passing of Sumba’s little-known hornbills, drifts of quails and fruit doves, their demise has wider implications.
11. A brood/A clutch/A peep of chickens
Example: It usually consisted of two a peep of chickens which she roasted in the big pot oven at the open fire.
12. A brood of hens
Example: At the beginning of the brooding season, the brood of hens are very sensitive to disturbances and leaves the nest quickly.
13. A cadge of peregrines
Example: As soon as Jeff and I discovered that, the conversation quickly left talk of ivory-bills and on to the exciting cadge of peregrines and Cooper’s hawks.
14. A cast of falcons
Example: These titles will be followed by novels such as Steve Burrows’ A Siege Of Bitterns, A Pitying Of Doves and A Cast Of Falcons.
15. A chain of bobolinks
Example: Magnetic cues, which help many bird species migrate, appear to be particularly important to a chain of bobolinks.
16. A charm/A chirm/A trembling/A trimming of finches
Example: Migrating from northern Europe to the Iberian Peninsula’s cork forests are blackcaps, trimming of finches, robins, and song thrushes.
17. A charm/A chattering/A drum/A troubling of goldfinches
Example: The thistle feeder is dominated by a drum of goldfinches, although an occasional house finch or song sparrow sneaks a snack.
18. A charm/A chattering/A drum/A troubling of hummingbirds
Example: The brilliant orange, red flowers of the scarlet runner bean supply nectar all summer long for a charm of hummingbirds and butterflies.
19. A colony/A flock/A raft of auks
Example: Some species, such as the raft of auks, do not have a concerted migration effort, but drift southwards as the winter approaches.
20. A colony of avocets
Example: The observation hides at Cley Marsh provide excellent viewing for observers to enjoy the colony of avocets.
21. A colony of gulls
Example: Among some ground-nesting waterbirds, such as gulls and plovers, research has shown that speckling aids egg camouflage.
22. A colony/A parcel/A rookery of penguins
Example: Set in Antarctica, it has no human characters but focuses on the natural environment of the frozen continent, especially a rookery of penguins and skuas.
It is not an easy task to remember all these group names. Therefore, You can keep this list handy for your future reference and refer it whenever there is a need.
After you have learned these names you can take a practice test using the Group of Birds Worksheets.
You can download the free printable form of worksheets and use it offline to train your kid.
Collective nouns are words that denote a group of animals, birds, persons or things. Such words are often called group terms or nouns of assembly. English has a bewildering variety of strange-looking collective nouns. Familiarity with such collective nouns in English can surely make our speech and writing sound better and more elegant.
List of Collective Nouns & Group Words in English
The following is an elaborate list of collective nouns and group words in English. Search the name of an animal, bird, or object to find the corresponding collective noun.
Collective Noun | Denoting Group |
---|---|
A bale | of cotton, wool |
A band | of musicians, robbers |
A batch | of loaves (baked together) |
A battalion | of soldiers |
A battery | of guns |
A beam | of rays |
A bench | of judges |
A bevy | of girls, ladies, swans |
A bloat | of hippopotami |
A block | of flats |
A board | of directors, trustees, examiners |
A bouquet | of flowers |
A brood | of chickens (hatched at the same time) |
A budget | of letters, news |
A bunch | of flowers, grapes, keys, plantains |
A bundle | of clothes, hay, sticks |
A caravan | of merchants, pilgrims, travellers |
A cargo | of goods |
A carillon | of bells |
A catch | of fishes (taken in a net) |
A century | of inventions, runs, sonnets, years |
A chain | of events, mountains |
A choir | of angels, singers |
A class | of persons, students |
A clique | of schemers |
A cloud | of locusts |
A clump | of trees |
A cluster | of grapes, islands, nuts, stars, rings |
A clutch | of eggs |
A code | of laws |
A collection | of coins, curiosities, relics, stamps |
A colony | of people, ants, badgers, beavers, penguins, rabbits, rats, seals, frogs, gulls, vultures |
A commonwealth | of nations |
A company | of actors, merchants, shareholders, soldiers |
A concourse | of people |
A congress | of delegates, representatives |
A consignment | of goods |
A constellation | of stars |
A corps | of volunteers |
A council | of advisers |
A course | of events, lectures |
A covey | of partridges (flying together) |
A crew | of sailors |
A crowd | of people (in the street) |
A curriculum | of studies |
A drift | of hogs |
A drove | of cattle (when driven) |
A dynasty | of kings, rulers |
A faggot | of sticks, twigs |
A fall | of leaves, rain, snow |
A family | of sardines |
A fell | of hair |
A fleet | of cars, ships |
A flight | of aircrafts, arrows, bees, birds, insects, locusts, stairs, steps |
A flock | of chickens, geese, sheep, birds |
A flotilla | of boats, ships |
A forest | of trees |
A gaggle | of geese |
A galaxy | of beauties, stars |
A gallery | of paintings, pictures |
A gang | of convicts, prisoners, robbers, thieves, workmen |
A garland | of flowers |
A genus | of animals, plants |
A group | of figures (in a picture), islands, people |
A grove | of trees |
A haul | of fishes (taken in a net) |
A heap | of ruins, sand, stones |
A herd | of cattle, deer, swine, antelope, boar, buffalo, chamois, chinchillas, donkeys, elephants, elk, giraffes, gnus, goats, hippopotami, horses, kangaroos, llamas, moose, oxen, pigs, seals, swans, walruses, whales, yaks, zebras(when pasturing or driven together) |
A hive | of bees |
A hoard | of gold, jewels |
A horde | of barbarians, savages |
A host | of angels |
A league | of powers, states |
A leash | of hares, hounds |
A legion | of soldiers |
A library | of books |
A litter | of puppies, kittens, piglings (brought forth at one birth) |
A lock | of hair |
A mass | of clouds, ruins |
A menagerie | of wild animals |
A mob | of people (in a riot) |
A multitude | of people |
A murder | of crows |
A muster | of peacocks, troops |
An album | of photos, paintings, snap-shots, stamps |
An ambush | of tigers |
An anthology | of poems |
An army | of soldiers, ants |
An assembly | of members, people gathered together for some common purpose |
A nest | of ants |
An orchestra | of musicians |
A nosegay | of flowers |
An outfit | of clothes |
A pack | of asses, hounds, playing-cards, wolves |
A panel | of judges, jury-men |
A parade | of soldiers |
A party | of musicians, people, friends |
A patrol | of scouts, soldiers |
A pencil | of rays |
A pile | of arms, bricks, stones, wood |
A posse | of constables, police-men (called to quell a riot) |
A posy | of flowers |
A poultry | of fowls, ducks etc. |
A queue | of people, voters |
A quiver | of arrows |
A rabble | of people (in a rowdy scene) |
A range | ofhills, mountains |
A regiment | of soldiers |
A rope | of pearls |
A row | of athletes, chairs, trees |
A school | of porpoises, whales |
A series | of events |
A set | of tools |
A sheaf | of arrows, corn-stalks, paper |
A shoal | of fishes |
A shock | of hair |
A shower | of arrows, bullets, rain, stones |
A sleuth | of bears |
A society | people gathered together for some common purpose |
A squad | of soldiers |
A squadron | of ships, soldiers |
A stack | of arms, corn, hay, wood (piled together) |
A staff | of officials, servants, teachers |
A stock | of goods |
A string | of camels |
A suit | of clothes |
A suite | of apartments, furniture, rooms |
A swarm | of ants, bees, flies, locusts |
A syndicate | of businessmen, councillors |
A team | of horses, players, oxen (harnessed together) |
A throng | of people |
A train | of carriages, followers, waggons |
A tribe | of aborigines, people |
A troop | of lions, monkeys, scouts, soldiers |
A troupe | of actors, artistes, dancers |
A tuft | of grass, hair |
Audience | people at a lecture or concert |
A volley | of shots, bullets |
A wreath | of flowers |
Congregation | people in a church, mosque or temple |
Spectators | people at a match, tournament, etc. |
What is a group of birds called? Or any idea about the collective nouns for birds! In this article, we will learn the basic definition along with an explanation, a lot of examples, and a list. Let’s explore collective nouns for birds!
The type of nouns used to represent a group of species of birds is called collective nouns for birds. Even other animals are termed by the use of different collective nouns. As birds are of different species, their collective group names are also different. All of the common collective nouns are used regularly to identify certain species of birds in a group and to extinguish them differently. These collective nouns, which are used even till this date ways back to almost the middle of the fifteenth century. For example,
- A wake of buzzards
- A murder of crows
- A cast of merlins
- A conspiracy of ravens
- A crown of kingfishers
- A prayer of godwits
- A conspiracy of robins
In the above image, kingfishers have formed a group and it is called collective noun crown. In the above examples, collective nouns of various birds are, as follows
- Wake
- Murder
- Cast
- Conspiracy
- Crown
- Prayer
Types of Collective Nouns for Birds’ Origin
Flock
Many types of animals live different lives from birds, including reptiles and mammals. These animals fascinate us because of their differences from birds. The minimum collective noun for birds must be known in order not to waste time.
Whenever you use the word flock to describe a flock of birds, you are referring to a group of birds at once. The birds’ flock can be grouped together as a word group, or you can use a single flock. Both meanings go far beyond simple bird descriptions. Example sentences illustrate the various uses of the word flock.
Colony
Most creatures, particularly birds, may be described as “colonies.” Baboons and ants are also housed in the colony. When used to describe birds, the term “colony,” which has been specially defined in zoology for social groupings of creatures that live and interact closely with one another, is equally applicable.
Fleet
When discussing birds, you may also use fleet as a collective noun. Nonetheless, in the marine environment, birds act as a fleet. Birds have an unexpected role in the aquatic environment. They are all capable of doing aerobatic manoeuvres. Their conduct is most likely motivated by a desire to avoid predators and other natural calamities.
Parcel
It is common to use the collective noun parcel for birds. A parcel can also refer to a fleet of birds and is often used in articles that mention birds or mention the news. Just like other collective nouns in English, the word parcel must be used with a correct preposition and plural form.
Cloud
The term cloud is one of the lesser-used and lesser-known collective nouns that is used to call a group of birds. It is very common to see birds act like clouds during the fall. However, even though this behaviour is meant to distract predators, they have been described as a cloud in the past, and their name is still used today.
Murmuration
Even though it appears silly at first glance, bird colonies are collectively referred to as murmurations. Murmurs are soft, indistinct sounds produced by a group of people talking together quietly or at a distance. This is an obvious phenomenon. A flock of starlings flying in swooping may sound indistinct because of the sound of their wings being pressed against each other.
Collective Nouns for Birds Origin
Well! This is a very interesting story. All origin purposes for different group names for birds are different. Like some group names are named after peculiar habits of birds. We can see it with few examples,
Collective Nouns for Birds | Explanation |
A descent of woodpeckers | This is due to the reason that the woodpeckers drop on ants from greater heights. |
A bellowing of bullfinches | This comes due to the reason that bullfinches have extraordinary thick necks. |
Similarly,
- ‘A murder of crows‘ comes from the fact that crows are sent by the devil or they are witches in disguise.
- ‘An unkindness of ravens‘ is derived from a belief that the ‘ravens’ were not the most caring of parents and
- ‘A murmuration of starlings‘ is due to the sound of an ongoing background murmur.
A very nice course available on the internet for basic engineering course, which is highly rated & effective. You can available. Its not free but has a minimal charge.
Different Group Collective Nouns for Same Birds
Many of the birds have more than one collective noun. For example – for crow, it could be,
- charm,
- trembling, and
- trimming.
And for geese, it could be,
- skein,
- wedge nide,
- plump and
- gaggle.
The word skein is derived from the French language word – escaigne, which means a hank of yarn, when folded back on itself, resembles a ‘V’ shape. The geese in flight are also referred to as a team or a wedge. Check out our ANIMATED VIDEO,
Check out a few Collective Nouns Worksheets for practice.
Dictionary for Collective Nouns for Birds
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with A
- A rookery of albatrosses
- A weight of albatrosses
- A raft of auks
- A colony of avocets
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with B
- A pretense of bitterns
- A sedge of bitterns
- A siege of bitterns
- A chain of bobolinks
- A bellowing of bullfinches
- A wake of buzzards
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with C
- A tok of capercaillie
- A mews of capons
- A brood of chicks
- A clutch of chicks
- A clattering of chicks
- A brood of chickens
- A peep of chickens
- A clattering of choughs
- A covert of coots
- A raft of coots
- A flight of cormorants
- A herd of cranes
- A sedge of cranes
- a horde of crows
- A hover of crows
- A mob of crows
- A murder of crows
- A muster of crows
- A parcel of crows
- A parliament of crows
- A storytelling crows
- A herd of curlews
Collective Noun for Birds Starts with D
- A trip of dotterel
- A sort of ducks
- A dole of doves
- A fling of dunlins
- A piteousness of doves
- A raft of ducks
- A doping of ducks
- A bevy of doves
- A plump of ducks
- A paddling of ducks
- A pitying of doves
- A flight of doves
- A badling of ducks
- A flush of ducks
- A team of ducks
- A lack of ducks
Collective Nouns for Bird Starts with E
- A congress of eagles
- A convocation of eagles
- A mob of emus
Collective Noun for Birds Starts with F
- A cast of falcons
- A charm of finches
- A trembling of finches
- A trimming of finches
- A flamboyance of flamingos
- A stand of flamingos
Collective Noun for Birds Starts with G
- Omniscience of godwits
- A prayer of godwits
- A pantheon of godwits
- A drum of goldfinches
- A troubling of goldfinches
- A charm of goldfinches
- A chirm of goldfinches
- A gaggle of geese
- A wedge of geese
- A nide of geese
- A skein of geese
- A plump of geese
- A flight of goshawks
- A covey of grouse
- A lek of grouse
- A pack of grouse
- A bazaar of guillemots
- A confusion of guinea fowl
- A colony of gulls
- A screech of gulls
Collective Noun for Birds Starts with H
- A cast of hawks
- A lease of hawks
- A kettle of hawks
- A brood of hens
- A siege of herons
- A sedge of herons
- A charm of hummingbirds
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with J
- A clattering of jackdaws
- A train of jackdaws
- A band of jays
- A party of jays
- A scold of jays
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with K
- A concentration of kingfishers
- A crown of kingfishers
- A realm of kingfishers
Collective Noun for Birds Starts with L
- A Desert of lapwings
- A bevy of larks
- An exaltation of larks
- An exalting of larks
Collective Nouns for Bird Starts with M
- A conventicle of magpies
- A gulp of magpies
- Mischief of magpies
- Tidings of magpies
- A tittering of magpies
- A site of mallards
- A sort of mallards
- A richness of martins
- A fleet of mudhen
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with N
- A watch of nightingales
Collective Noun for Birds Starts with O
- A parliament of owls
- A stare of owls
- A study of owls
- Wisdom of owls
- A parcel of oystercatchers
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with P
- A company of parrots
- A prattle of parrots
- A pandemonium of parrots
- A covey of partridges
- A muster of peacocks
- A pride of peacocks
- An ostentation of peacocks
- A pod of pelicans
- A scoop of pelicans
- A squadron of pelicans
- A colony of penguins
- A creche of penguins
- A huddle of penguins
- A parcel of penguins
- A rookery of penguins
- A bouquet of pheasants
- A covey of pheasants
- A nide of pheasants
- A nye of pheasants
- A kit of pigeons
- Aloft of pigeons
- A congregation of plovers
- A covey of ptarmigans
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with Q
- A bevy of quail
- A covey of quail
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with R
- An unkindness of ravens
- A blush of robins
- A bobbin of robins
- A breast of robins
- A carol of robins
- A gift of robins
- A reliant of robins
- A riot of robins
- A rouge of robins
- A round of robins
- A ruby of robins
- A worm of robins
- A building of rooks
- A clamor of rooks
- A parliament of rooks
- A hill of ruffs
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with S
- A bind of sandpipers
- A cluster of sandpipers
- A contradiction of sandpipers
- A fling of sandpipers
- A hill of sandpipers
- A time-step of sandpipers
- A cloud of sea-fowl
- A colony of seagulls
- A flock of seagulls
- A loading of shelducks
- A dopping of shelducks
- Exultation of skylarks
- A walk of snipe
- A wisp of snipe
- A host of sparrows
- A quarrel of sparrows
- A ubiquity of sparrows
- A murmuration of starlings
- A muster of storks
- A phalanx of storks
- A flight of swallows
- A gulp of swallows
- A gaggle of swans
- A wedge of swans
- A bank of swans
- A bevy of swans
- A whiteness of swans
- A herd of swans
- An error of swans
- A gargle of swans
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with T
- A Diving of teal
- A spring of teal
- A mutation of thrushes
- A raffle of turkeys
- A rafter of turkeys
- A dole of turtle doves
- A pitying of turtle doves
Collective Nouns for Birds Starts with W
- A knob of waterfowl
- A plump of waterfowl
- A coil of wigeon
- A descent of woodpeckers
- A fall of woodcocks
- A herd of wrens
Conclusion
Hence, we have learned various collective nouns for birds and got a clear concept of what is a group of birds called. Any comments, please write to us! Happy reading!
Collective Nouns for Animals and Birds
Here is a useful list of collective nouns for animals, birds, and insects which surely will help you to improve your vocabulary in English.
Collective Nouns for Animals
List of Collective Nouns for Animals / Group Names for Animals
Sl.No. | Name of the Animal | Collective Noun / Group Name for Animals |
01 | Antelopes | a cluster/a herd/a tribe of antelopes |
02 | Apes | a shrewdness/a troop of apes |
03 | Asses | a drove/a coffle/a herd of asses |
04 | Badgers | a colony of badgers |
05 | Bats | a cloud/a colony of bats |
06 | Bears | a sloth of bears |
07 | (Polar) Bears | an aurora/a pack of polar bears |
08 | Bisons | a herd/a gang of bisons |
09 | Blackfish | a grind of blackfish |
10 | Bucks | a herd/a leash of bucks |
11 | Buffalos | a gang/an obstinacy of buffalos |
12 | Bullocks | a drove of bullocks |
13 | Butterfly Fish | a school of butterfly fish |
14 | Camels | a flock/a caravan/a herd/a train of camels |
15 | Caribous | a herd of caribous |
16 | Cats | a cluster/a clutter of cats |
17 | Cattle | a herd/a drift/a drove/a mob of cattle |
18 | Chamois | a herd of chamois |
19 | Cheetahs | a coalition of cheetahs |
20 | Chinchillas | a colony of chinchillas |
21 | Cobras | A quiver of cobras |
22 | Cod | a school of cod |
23 | Colts | a rake/a rack/a rag of colts |
24 | Conies | a bury/a game of conies |
25 | Coyotes | a pack/a band of coyotes |
26 | Crocodiles | a congregation/a float/a nest of crocodiles |
27 | Cubs | a litter of cubs |
28 | Curs | a cowardice of curs |
29 | Deers | A herd/abevy of deers |
30 | Dinosaurs | A pack/a herd of dinosaurs |
31 | Dogfish | a troop of dogfish |
32 | Dogs | a pack/a kennel of dogs |
33 | Dolphins | a flock/a school/a team of dolphins |
34 | Donkeys | a herd/a drove of donkeys |
35 | Dragons | a wing of dragons |
36 | Eels | a swarm of eels |
37 | Elands | a herd of elands |
38 | Elephants | a herd/a parade of elephants |
39 | Elks | a gang/a herd of elks |
40 | Ferrets | a business/a cast of ferrets |
41 | Fish | a cluster of porcupine fish |
42 | Fish | a shoal/a draught/a haul/a school of fish |
43 | Flying Fish | a glide of flying fish |
44 | Frogs | a colony/an army of frogs |
45 | Foxes | an earth/a lead/a leash/a troop of foxes |
46 | Geldings | a brace of geldings |
47 | Gerbils | a horde of gerbils |
48 | Giraffes | a journey/a group/a herd/a tower of giraffes |
49 | Goats | a flock/a herd/a tribe of goats |
50 | Goldfish | a glint of goldfish |
51 | Gorillas | a band/a whoop of gorillas |
52 | Greyhounds | a leash of greyhounds |
53 | Hamsters | a horde of hamsters |
54 | Hares | a drove/a flick/a herd/a kindle/a leash/a trace/a trip of hares |
55 | Hedgehogs | an array/a prickle of hedgehogs |
56 | Herrings | a glean/an army/a shoal of herrings |
57 | Hinds | a parcel of hinds |
58 | Hippopotamuses | a bloat of hippopotamuses |
59 | Hogs | a drift/a drove/a parcel of hogs |
60 | Horses | a herd/a string/a team/a drove of horses |
61 | Hounds | a pack/a cry/a kennel/a leash/a meet of hounds |
62 | Hyenas | a clan of hyenas |
63 | Ibexes | a herd of ibexes |
64 | Iguanas | a mess of iguanas |
65 | Jackrabbits | a husk of jackrabbits |
66 | Kangaroos | a mob/a troop of kangaroos |
67 | Kittens | a kindle/a litter of kittens |
68 | Lambs | a fall of lambs |
69 | Leopards | a leap of leopards |
70 | Leverets | a kindle of leverets |
71 | Lions | a pride/a flock/a troop of lions |
72 | Llamas | a herd of llamas |
73 | Mackerel | a shoal of mackerel |
74 | Mares | a stud of mares |
75 | Martens | a richness of martens |
76 | Mice | a mischief/a horde/a nest/a trip of mice |
77 | Minnows | a shoal/a steam/a swarm of minnows |
78 | Moles | a labor/a company of moles |
79 | Mongooses | a band/a pack of mongooses |
80 | Monkeys | a troop/a mission/a tribe/a cartload of monkeys |
81 | Moose | a herd of moose |
82 | Mules | a barren/a pack/a span of mules |
83 | Oxen | a team/a herd/a yoke of oxen |
84 | Perch | a pack of perch |
85 | Piglets | a farrow/a litter of piglets |
86 | Pigs | a drift/a flock/a herd of pigs |
87 | Ponies | a string/a herd of ponies |
88 | Porcupines | a prickle of porcupines |
89 | Pups | a litter of pups |
90 | Guinea Pigs | a group of guinea pigs |
91 | Rabbits | a colony/a bury/a flick/a kindle/a leash/a nest/a trace of rabbits |
92 | Raccoons | a nursery/a gaze of raccoons |
93 | Rainbow Fish | a party of rainbow fish |
94 | Rats | a colony/a horde/a mischief/a swarm of rats |
95 | Racehorses | a field/a string of racehorses |
96 | Rhinoceroses | a crash/a herd of rhinoceroses |
97 | Salmon | a bind/a leap/a school/a shoal of salmon |
98 | Sardine | a family of sardines |
99 | Seahorses | a herd of seahorses |
100 | Seals | a colony/a herd/a rookery/a spring of seals |
101 | Shads | a shoal of shads |
102 | Sharks | a shiver/a school/a shoal of sharks |
103 | Sheep | a dove/a flock/a herd of sheep |
104 | Shrimp | a troupe of shrimp |
105 | Snakes | a pit/a knot/a ped/a nest/a den of snakes |
106 | Squid | a squad of squid |
107 | Squirrels | a dray/a colony of squirrels |
108 | Swine | a drove/a herd of swine |
109 | Swordfish | a flotilla of swordfish |
110 | Tame Swine | a drift/a trip of tame swine |
111 | Tigers | an ambush/a streak of tigers |
112 | Toads | a knob/ a nest of toads |
113 | Tuna | a float of tuna |
114 | Turtles | a turn/a bale of turtles |
115 | Unicorns | a blessing of unicorns |
116 | Vipers | a generation of vipers |
117 | Walruses | a huddle/an ugly of walruses |
118 | Weasels | a sneak/a gang/a pack of weasels |
119 | Whales | a grind of bottle-nosed whales |
120 | Whales | a school/a float/a herd/a mob/a shoal of whales |
121 | Wild Pigs | a sounder of wild pigs |
122 | Wild Swine | a sounder of wild swine |
123 | Wildcats | destruction of wildcats |
124 | Wildebeests | a herd of wildebeests |
125 | Wolves | a pack/a herd/a rout of wolves |
126 | Yaks | a herd of yaks |
127 | Zebras | a herd/a zeal of zebras |
Collective Nouns for Animals and Birds
Collective Nouns for Birds
List of Collective Nouns for Birds / Group Names for Birds
Sl.No. | Name of the Bird | Collective Noun / Group Name |
01 | Birds | a flight/a flock of birds |
02 | Buzzards | a wake of buzzards |
03 | Bitterns | a sedge/a siege of bitterns |
04 | Bobolinks | a chain of bobolinks |
05 | Bustards | a flock of bustards |
06 | Buzzards | a wake of buzzards |
07 | Caterpillars | an army of caterpillars |
08 | Chickens | a brood/a clutch/a peep of chickens |
09 | Cormorants | a flight/a gulp of cormorants |
10 | Cranes | a sedge/a herd/a sedge/a siege of cranes |
11 | Crows | a murder/a hover/a muster/a parcel of crows |
12 | Dotterel | a tip of dotterel |
13 | Doves | a dole/a flight/a pitying/a prettying of doves |
14 | Ducks | a flush of ducks |
15 | Dunlins | a fling of dunlins |
16 | Eagles | a convocation/an aerie of eagles |
17 | Falcons | a cast of falcons |
18 | Finches | a charm/a trembling/a trimming of finches |
19 | Flamingos | a stand of flamingos |
20 | Geese | a gaggle/a flock/a plump/a team/a wedge of geese |
21 | Goshawks | a flight of goshawks |
22 | Grouse | a covey/a brace/a brood/a flight/a pack of grouse |
23 | Guillemots | a bazaar of guillemots |
24 | Gulls | a colony of gulls |
25 | Hawks | a mews/an aerie/a cast/a kettle/a mew/a screw/a stream of hawks |
26 | Hens | a brood of hens |
27 | Herons | a sedge/a flight/a hedge/a rookery/a siege of herons |
28 | Hummingbirds | a charm/a chattering/a drum/a troubling of hummingbirds |
29 | Ibises | a colony of ibises |
30 | Jays | a band/a party/a scold of jays |
31 | Lapwings | a desert/a deceit of lapwings |
32 | Larks | an exaltation/an ascension/a bevy/a flight of larks |
33 | Linnets | a parcel of linnets |
34 | Magpies | a congregation/a charm/a flock/a gulp/a murder/a tiding/a tittering/a tribe of magpies |
35 | Mallards | a flush/a puddling of mallards |
36 | Moorhens | a plump of moorhens |
37 | Nightingales | a watch/a match/a pray of nightingales |
38 | Ostriches | a pride/a flock of ostriches |
39 | Owls | a parliament/a stare of owls |
40 | Parrots | a company/a flock/a pandemonium/a prattle of parrots |
41 | Partridges | a covey/a bevy/a clutch/a warren of partridges |
42 | Peacocks | a muster/an ostentation/a pride of peacocks |
43 | Pelicans | a pod/a scoop of pelicans |
44 | Penguins | a colony/a parcel/a rookery of penguins |
45 | Peregrines | a cadge of peregrines |
46 | Pheasants | a bouquet/a head/a warren of pheasants |
47 | Pigeons | a flight/a flock/a kit/a passel of pigeons |
48 | Plovers | a congregation/a flight/a wing of plovers |
49 | Poultry | a run of poultry |
50 | Quails | a bevy/a covey/a drift of quails |
51 | Ravens | an unkindness/an aerie/a conspiracy of ravens |
52 | Redwings | a crowd of redwings |
53 | Rooks | a parliament/a building/a congregation/a shoal/a wing of rooks |
54 | Ruffs | a hill of ruffs |
55 | Sandpipers | a fling of sandpipers |
56 | Seafowls | a cloud of seafowls |
57 | Seagulls | a squabble of seagulls |
58 | Snipes | a walk/a wisp of snipes |
59 | Sparrows | a host/a quarrel/a tribe/a ubiquity of sparrows |
60 | Starlings | a chattering/a cloud/a congregation/a clutter of starlings |
61 | Storks | a mustering/a flight/a phalanx of storks |
62 | Swallows | a flight/a gulp of swallows |
63 | Swans | a herd/a bank/a bevy/a game/a squadron/a team of swans |
64 | Swifts | a flock of swifts |
65 | Thrushes | a mutation of thrushes |
66 | Turkeys | a flock of turkeys |
67 | Turkeys | a rafter of turkeys |
68 | Turtle Doves | a pitying of turtle doves |
69 | Vultures | a colony/a committee/a wake of vultures |
70 | Waterfowls | a plump/a bunch/a knob/a raft of waterfowls |
71 | Wildfowls | a trip/a bunch/a knob/a lute/a skein of wildfowls |
72 | Woodcocks | a fall/a covey/a flight/a plump of woodcocks |
73 | Woodpeckers | a descent of woodpeckers |
74 | Wrens | a herd/a flock of wrens |
Collective Nouns for Animals and Birds
Collective Noun/Group Name for Insects and Arachnids
Sl.No. | Name of the Insect | Collective Noun for Insects |
01 | Ants | a colony/an army/a swarm of ants |
02 | Bacteria | a culture of bacteria |
03 | Bees | a swarm/a bike/a cluster/a drift/a hive/a stand/a grist of bees |
04 | Butterflies | a flight/a rabble/a swarm of butterflies |
05 | Caterpillars | an army of caterpillars |
06 | Cockroaches | an intrusion of cockroaches |
07 | Flies | a swarm/a cloud/a business/a grist/a hatch of flies |
08 | Grasshoppers | a cloud/a cluster/a swarm of grasshoppers |
09 | Insects | a flight/a horde/a plague/a swarm of insects |
10 | Lice | a flock/a colony/an infestation of lice |
11 | Locusts | a plague/a cloud/a swarm of locusts |
12 | Mosquitoes | a swarm of mosquitoes |
13 | Oysters | a bed of oysters |
14 | Spiders | a cluster of spiders |
15 | Termites | a colony/a swarm of termites |
16 | Wasps | a colony/a nest of wasps |
17 | Wild Bees | a bike of wild bees |
18 | Worms | a clew of worms |
Apart from the list of Collective Nouns for Animals and Birds, you can also refer to:
- Collective Nouns for Things and Places
- Collective Nouns for People
Want to impress whilst on safari? Then here’s the perfect list to brush up your knowledge of collective nouns for birds you might see whilst out birdwatching.
Whilst some collective nouns for the birds of Africa are general and can be used for any subject – swarm, flock, etc. – many other collective animal nouns are specific to a single bird, or even to a bird in a particular state – for example, a ‘badling of ducks’ when they are on the ground only.
Names for collective groups of animals are thought to date from The Book of Saint Albans, published in 1486 by Dame Juliana Berners where many of the collective nouns for were chosen simply for the humorous images they conjure up, or the alliteration.
It’s fairly well known that a group of gulls is a colony… but did you know that a group of perfectly pink flamingos is called a “flamboyance” or a “stand”? And how about bird group names for other aerial species? There are some more real gems of collective bird nouns below, so have a read and let us know what you think:
List of collective nouns for birds:
Bird | Collective Noun/Group Name |
Cormorants | Gulp |
Cranes | Sedge, Seige |
Crows | Murder |
Doves | Dole |
Ducks in flight | Flock |
Ducks on the ground | Badling |
Ducks on water | Raft, Team, Paddling |
Eagles | Convocation, Aerie |
Finches | Charm |
Flamingos | Stand, Flamboyance |
Geese in flight | Skein |
Geese on the ground | Gaggle, Herd, Corps |
Guinea Fowl | Confusion |
Gulls | Colony, Screech |
Hawks | Kettle |
Herons | Sedge, Siege, Hedge |
Larks | Exaltation, Ascension |
Magpies | Tiding, Gulp, Murder, Charm |
Nightingale | Watch |
Owls | Parliament, Stare, Wisdom |
Parrots | Company, Pandemonium |
Peacocks | Muster, Ostentation, Pride |
Pelicans | Pod |
Penguins | Colony, Rookery, Huddle |
Pheasants | Bouquet |
Quail | Bevvy |
Ravens | Unkindness, Storytelling |
Rooks | Building, Parliament |
Seabirds | Wreck |
Sparrows | Host |
Starlings | Murmuration |
Storks | Mustering, Muster |
Teal | Spring |
Vultures | Venue |
Vultures whilst circling | Kettle |
Woodcocks | Fall |
Woodpeckers | Descent |
A ‘flamboyance’ of flamingos – the collective noun for these beautiful birds
We’ve scoured the internet high and wide to bring you this collection of collective nouns for birds. If you know of any other collective nouns – or indeed have a new idea for a collective noun – join in using the comments below.
And if you’re into more than just birds, have you seen our list of collective nouns for animals?