You probably already know that a group of wolves is a pack, cows form a herd, and birds fly in a flock, but beyond the expected, there are some hilarious, unexpected, and incredibly apt collective nouns for groups of animals.
Collective nouns aren’t always the terms used by scientists, who tend to stick to more direct terms such as group, colony, pack and pod, but the fun and often creative collective nouns are a great reminder of the humour of the English language. The nouns often refer to the behaviour or looks of the animals in question.
Animal Group Names You’ll Never Forget
A Business of Ferrets – relates to the tireless movement of ferrets.
A Prickle of Porcupines
A Wisdom of Owls – links back to Greek Mythology
A Kaleidoscope of Butterflies – relates to their colourful, patterned wings.
A Bloat of Hippopotamuses
A Flamboyance of Flamingos
A Knot of Toads
An Unkindness of Ravens – ravens are historically viewed with suspicion
A Parliament of Rooks – inspired by birds standing in solemn, reflective circles..
A Gaggle of Geese
A Conspiracy of Lemurs
A Fever of Stingrays
A Smack of Jellyfish
A Basking of Alligators
A Cloud of Grasshoppers
A Mischief of Mice
A Clatter of Jackdaws – relating to the noise a group of Jackdaws make
More common and generally used terms for groups of animals
Mammals – herd or pack
Birds – Flock
Marine animals – School or Shoal
Reptiles – Nest
Insects – Swarm or colony
Last Updated on August 10, 2026 by Emma Vanstone
