Collective Nouns

One of the craziest oddities of the English language is that there are so many different collective nouns that all mean "group" but which are specific to what particular thing there is a group of: a herd of elephants, a crowd of people, a box of crayons, a pad of paper, etc. There is great diversity of collective nouns associated with animals, from a sleuth of bears to a murder of crows. The following is a list of the correct terms to describe groups of various types of animals. Collective Name Animal herd of antelope army of ants colony of ants swarm of ants shrewdness of apes flange of baboons congress of baboons tribe of baboons culture of bacteria cete of badgers colony of badgers sleuth of bears sloth of bears pack of bears (polar bears) colony of beavers lodge of beavers flight of bees grist of bees hive of bees swarm of bees congregation of birds dissimulation of birds flight of birds flock of birds volery of birds sedge of bitterns siege of bitterns herd of boar Collective Name Animal cry of hounds mute of hounds pack of hounds charm of hummingbirds clan of hyenas band of jays party of jays scold of jays smack of jellyfish herd of kangaroos mob of kangaroos troop of kangaroos deceit of lapwings ascension of larks exaltation of larks leap of leopards leep of leopards lepe of leopards pride of lions sault of lions sowse of lions troop of lions lounge of lizards herd of llamas plague of locusts tidings of magpies sord of mallards stud of mares

singular sounder chain brace clash herd rabble swarm wake flock army clowder clutter glaring pounce dout nuisance kendle kindle litter destruction drove herd kine team yoke herd brood flock peep brood chattering clutch cartload herd bed quiver rag rake bury cover flight

of boar of boar of bobolinks of bucks of bucks of buffalo of butterflies of butterflies of buzzards of camels of caterpillars of cats of cats of cats of cats of cats (house cats) of cats (house cats) of cats (kittens) of cats (kittens) of cats (kittens) of cats (wild cats) of cattle of cattle of cattle of cattle of cattle (two) of chamois of chickens of chickens of chickens of chicks of chicks of chicks of chimpanzees of chinchillas of clams of cobras of colts of colts of conies of coots of cormorants

richness horde mischief nest company labor movement cartload tribe troop troup herd barren pack rake span watch bevy family raft romp parliament drove herd span team yoke bed company covey muster ostentation colony crche huddle parcel rookery nest nide nye

of martens of mice of mice of mice of moles of moles of moles of monkeys of monkeys of monkeys of monkeys of moose of mules of mules of mules of mules of nightingales of otter of otter of otter of otter of owls of oxen of oxen of oxen of oxen of oxen (two) of oysters of parrots of partridges of peacocks of peacocks of penguins of penguins of penguins of penguins of penguins of pheasants pheasants (on the of ground) pheasants (on the of ground)

band sedge siege congregation float storytelling murder herd leash parcel bevy kennel pack litter pod drove herd pace trip bevy cote dole dule flight piteousness flight weyr wing brace flock flush paddling raft team aerie convocation swarm herd memory parade gang herd

of coyotes of cranes of cranes of crocodiles of crocodiles of crows of crows of deer of deer of deer of deer (roe deer) of dogs of dogs of dogs (puppies) of dolphins of donkeys of donkeys of donkeys of dotterel of doves of doves of doves of doves of doves of doves of dragons of dragons of dragons of ducks of ducks of ducks of ducks of ducks of ducks of eagles of eagles of eels of elephants of elephants of elephants of elk of elk

bouquet flight flock drove herd litter farrow sounder shoal congregation wing chine string pod school passel coterie bevy covey bury colony down drove husk leash trace trip warren nest wrack gaze nursery colony horde mischief pack plague swarm rhumba storytelling unkindness crash

of pheasants (when flushed) of pigeons of pigeons of pigs of pigs of pigs of pigs (piglets) of pigs (wild pigs) of pilchards of plovers of plovers of polecats of ponies of porpoises of porpoises of possum of prairie dogs of quail of quail of rabbits of rabbits of rabbits of rabbits of rabbits of rabbits of rabbits of rabbits of rabbits of rabbits (young) of rabbits (young) of raccoons of raccoons of rats of rats of rats of rats of rats of rats of rattlesnakes of ravens of ravens of rhinocerouses

mob business cast fesnying charm catch haul run school shoal swarm lead leash skulk army colony knot flock gaggle skein wedge horde corps herd tower cloud horde swarm herd implausibility drove herd tribe trip charm glint band skein leash covey pack

of emus of ferrets of ferrets of ferrets of finches of fish of fish of fish of fish of fish of flies of foxes of foxes of foxes of frogs of frogs of frogs of geese of geese of geese (in flight) geese (flying in a of 'V') of gerbils of giraffes of giraffes of giraffes of gnats of gnats of gnats of gnus of gnus of goats of goats of goats of goats of goldfinches of goldfish of gorillas of goslings of greyhounds of grouse of grouse

building clamor storytelling run school shoal bob colony crash harem herd pod rookery spring team school shiver down drove flock fold hurtle trip bed den nest pit walk wisp host dray scurry murmuration muster mustering flight bevy herd wedge flock drift sounder

of rooks of rooks of rooks of salmon of salmon of salmon of seals of seals of seals of seals of seals of seals of seals of seals of seals of shark of shark of sheep of sheep of sheep of sheep of sheep of sheep of snakes of snakes of snakes of snakes of snipes of snipes of sparrows of squirrels of squirrels of starlings of storks of storks of swallows of swans of swans of swans (flying in a 'V') of swifts of swine of swine

colony group horde drove down husk leash trace trip warren aerie cast kettle array prickle brood hedge sedge siege shoal crash herd bloat drift parcel passel nest harras herd stable team troop

of gulls of guinea pigs of hamsters of hares of hares of hares of hares of hares of hares of hares of hawks of hawks of hawks of hedgehogs of hedgehogs of hens of herons of herons of herons of herrings of hippopotami of hippopotami of hippopotami of hogs of hogs of hogs of hornets of horses of horses of horses of horses of horses

spring ambush streak knot hover flock brood bale generation nest colony mob herd pod pack sneak gam herd pod school plump herd pack rout route warren fall descent herd herd zeal

of teals of tigers of tigers of toads of trout of turkeys of turkeys (immature) of turtles of vipers of vipers of vultures of wallabees of walruses of walruses of weasels of weasels of whales of whales of whales of whales of wildfowl of wolves of wolves of wolves of wolves of wombats of woodcocks of woodpeckers of yaks of zebras of zebras