Wednesday, July 17, 2013

What are groups of African animals called?

Do you know what a group of zebras is called?

Most people usually know that a group of lions is called a PRIDE, that a family of elephants form a HERD, or that ants can be found in a COLONY!

However, do you know how to refer to a group of giraffes? Or even a group of hippos?
How about a group of rhinos?
Not so easy, huh?!
Shall we find out?


First, Mammals. What do you call a group of …
Antelopes
A group of antelopes is called a herd (e.g. A herd of impalas).
Apes
A shrewdness of apes.
Baboons
A troop of baboons.
OR
A congress of baboons.
OR
A flange of baboons.
Badgers
A cete of badgers (e.g. Honey badgers).
Bats
A colony or cloud of bats.
Buffalo
A herd, troup, gang, or obstinacy of buffalo.
Cheetahs
A coalition of cheetahs.
Dolphins
A school of dolphins.
OR
A pod of dolphins.
Elephants
A herd or parade of elephants.
OR
A crash of elephants.
Foxes
A skulk of foxes (e.g. A skulk of Bat-eared foxes).
OR
A cloud, troop, or company of foxes.
OR
A leash or earth of foxes.
Giraffes
A tower of giraffes.
OR
A corps, troop or herd of giraffes.
OR
A kindergarten of giraffes.
OR
A journey of giraffes.
OR
A kaleidoscope of giraffes.
Gorillas
A band of gorillas.
OR
A whoop of gorillas.
Hares
A husk, down, mute or warren of hares.
OR
A trace of hares.
Hedgehogs
An array of hedgehogs.
Hippos
A bloat of hippos.
OR
A raft of hippos.
OR
A pool or herd of hippos.
Hyenas
A pack of hyenas.
OR
A cackle of hyenas (e.g. Spotted hyenas).
OR
A clan of hyenas.
Hyraxes
A colony of hyraxes.
Jackals
A pack of jackals (e.g. A pack of Black-backed jackals).
Lemurs
A troop of lemurs.
Leopards
A leap or prowl of leopards.
Some people even say it should be a “spot of leopards”.
Lions
A pride, flock, sawt, souse or troop of lions.
OR
A sault of lions.
Meerkats
A mob, gang, colony or clan of meerkats (also known as suricates).
Mice
A horde of mice.
OR
A mischief of mice.
OR
A harvest of mice.
OR
A colony or a nest of mice.
Mongooses
A business of mongooses (e.g. Banded mongooses).
Monkeys
A troop, cartload or barrel of monkeys.
Porcupines
A prickle of porcupines.
Rhinos
A crash or herd of rhinos.
Seals
A colony, herd, harem, trip or rookery of seals.
OR
A pod of seals (small herd).
Squirrels
A dray, colony or scurry of squirrels (though squirrels are seldom seen in a group).
E.g. A dray of ground squirrels.
Warthogs
Warthogs live in groups called sounders.
Whales
A school, herd, grind or gam of whales.
OR
A pod of whales (small school).
Wild Dogs
A pack of wild dogs.
Wildebeest
A herd of wildebeest.
OR
An implausibility of wildebeest (or gnus).
Wolves
A pack, rout or route (when in movement) of wolves (e.g. Ethiopian wolves).
Zebras
A dazzle, herd or zeal of zebras (e.g. Burchell’s zebras).

Next, Birds (in general)
A flock, flight, or parcel of birds.
OR
A pod of birds (small flock).
Buzzards
A wake of buzzards.
Cormorants
A gulp or flight of cormorants.
Cranes
A herd, seige or sedge of cranes.
Crows
A murder of crows.
OR
A hover, muster, or parcel of crows.
OR
A horde of crows.
OR
A parliament of crows.
Doves
A flight, dule, dole, piteousness or plague of doves.
A pitying (of turtle doves).
Ducks
A raft, paddling or bunch of ducks (on water).
OR
A team, brace, bed, flight or flock of wild ducks (in flight).
OR
A badling or flush of ducks.
Eagles
An aerie of eagles.
OR
A congregation of eagles.
OR
A convocation of eagles.
Flamingos
A stand of flamingos.
OR
A flamboyance of flamingos.
Geese
A gaggle or flock of geese.
OR
A plump of geese (on water).
OR
A skein, team or wedge of geese (in the air).
Guinea Fowl
A confusion of guinea fowl.
OR
A rasp of guinea fowl.
Herons
A scattering, seige or sedge of herons.
Ostriches
A flock of ostriches.
Owls
A parliament of owls.
OR
A stare or wisdom of owls.
OR
A study of owls.
Parrots
A pandemonium or company of parrots.
Pelicans
A squadron of pelicans.
OR
A pod or scoop of pelicans.
Penguins
A rookery or colony of penguins.
Pigeons
A flock or flight of pigeons.
OR
A kit of pigeons (flying together).
Sparrows
A host of sparrows.
Starlings
A murmuration of starlings.
OR
A filth of starlings.
OR
A chattering of starlings.
OR
An affliction of starlings.
Storks
A mustering of storks.
Swallows
A flight of swallows.
Swans
A bevy, game, herd, team, or wedge (flying in a “V” formation) of swans.
Vultures
A committee or venue of vultures.

What about Reptiles and Amphibians?
Cobras
A quiver of cobras.
Crocodiles
A congregation or nest of crocodiles.
OR
A bask or float of crocodiles.
Frogs
An army or colony of frogs.
OR
A knot of frogs.
Snakes
A den, bed, pit or slither of snakes.
OR
A nest or knot of snakes.
OR
A brood of snakes (family group).
Tortoises
A creep of tortoises.
Turtles
A bale, dole or nest of turtles.
OR
A turn of turtles.
Vipers
A nest or brood of vipers.

And Fish?
Fish (in general)
A shoal, draft, nest or school of fish.
OR
A run of fish (in motion).
Sharks
A shiver or school of sharks.

Don’t forget Invertebrates
Ants
A colony of ants.
Bees
A grist, hive, swarm, drift or bike of bees.
OR
A cluster, erst or nest of bees.
Caterpillars
An army of caterpillars.
Crabs
A cast of crabs.
Flies
A cloud, hatch, business or swarm of flies.
Grasshoppers
A cloud or swarm of grasshoppers.
Insects (in general)
A swarm of insects.
Mosquitoes
A cloud of mosquitoes.
OR
A scourge of mosquitoes.
Spiders
A cluster of spiders.
Termites
A brood, colony, nest or swarm of termites.

Now you know.

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