Most of us know that a group of puppies or kittens is called a litter and that the collective term for sheep is "flock." But there are many more collective names for animals out there, and they aren't all so obvious or well-known. In fact, some of the names are downright obscure. Many of these terms seem as if they were coined by people who were simply looking for a good laugh.
These questions will get trickier the further you get in. So put on your thinking caps and get ready to find out how much you know about the (sometimes strange) collective names for animals!
What do you call a group of fish?
- a gaggle
- a frisky
- a sloop
- a school
- If the fish are swimming in the same direction the group is called a "school." But if they are sticking together for social purposes, they are referred to as a "shoal."
What is the word for a group of geese (on the ground)?
- a flock
- a brood
- a roost
- a gaggle
- A group of geese is called a "gaggle" when they're on land (or in the water) but if the geese are flying the group is called a "skein," a "team," or a "wedge."
What do you call a group of wolves?
- a herd
- a hunting
- a noble
- a pack
- Wolves live in packs of 7-8. The mother and father wolves are the alphas of the group.
What is a group of bees called?
- a buzz
- a stinger
- a flock
- a swarm
- Bzzz! A group of bees is most commonly known as a "swarm," but can also be referred to as a "grist" or "hive."
What's the term for a group of whales?
- a school
- a cluster
- an army
- a pod
- Groups of whales are occasionally called "gams" or "herds."
What is a group of penguins called?
- a flock
- a king
- a berg
- a colony
- There are 17 species of penguins, and they all live in the Southern Hemisphere.
Groups of crows are called:
- a flock
- a team
- a spite
- a murder
- How fitting! Crows are sometimes viewed as omens of death and bad luck. Groups of them can also be called "hordes."
Bats are collectively referred to as:
- a flock
- a gaggle
- a cavern
- a cauldron
- Bats can consume their body weight in insects every night.
What do you call a group of kangaroos?
- a hopper
- a pocket
- a wallaby
- a mob
- They can also be called "troops."
Jaguars are collectively known as:
- a spot
- a quick
- a whisker
- a shadow
- Jaguars are the third-largest feline species.
A group of raccoons is called:
- a spot
- a bandit
- a cocoon
- a gaze
- Appropriately, the word "raccoon" comes from the Powhatan Native American word that means "scrubs with hands."
What is a group of jays called?
- a cluster
- a nestle
- a bill
- a party
- Blue jays (which can also be collectively called a "scold") are highly intelligent but can also act aggressively.
What's the term for a group of monkeys?
- a clique
- a pack
- a team
- a barrel
- "More fun than a barrel of monkeys!" A group of monkeys can also be called a troop.
Which of these terms refers to a group of rhinoceroses?
- a herd
- a pack
- a thunder
- a crash
- Rhinos usually their teeth, and not their horns, for defense.
Wild turkeys are known collectively as:
- a tom
- a feast
- a mob
- a flock
- Turkeys in the wild are called a flock. A group of domesticated turkeys is called a rafter.
What's the term for a group of tigers?
- a stripe
- a growler
- a quick
- an ambush
- The word "streak" is also used sometimes for a group of tigers.
Which of these terms refers to a group of storks?
- a flock
- a pod
- a bevy
- a muster
- Storks don't fly very far by flapping their wings, so they usually glide on warm air currents instead. A group of them can also be called a "phalanx."
What is the word for a group of jellyfish?
- a jello
- a blob
- a bluster
- a bloom
- "Bloom" is usually used for a large group of jellyfish. The words "swarm" and "smack" are also used occasionally.
Pandas are known collectively as:
- a bomb
- a patch
- a pack
- a bamboo
- Other suitable terms are "embarrassment" and "cupboard." Pandas have a lifespan of about 20 years in the wild.
What do you call a group of hyenas?
- a herd
- a pack
- a laugh
- a cackle
- The word "cackle" means "a shrill, broken sound."
Which of these is the correct term for a group of owls?
- a meeting
- a forum
- an organization
- a parliament
- Owls have tube-shaped, immobile eyes. This provides them with binocular vision "” excellent for hunting small prey.
Crocodiles are known collectively as:
- a cluster
- a scheme
- a slither
- a bask
- Crocodiles can often be found basking in the sun on the banks of rivers and streams.
What's the word for a group of hedgehogs?
- a prickle
- a pack
- a hoglet
- an array
- Hedgehogs have around 5,000 spines!
If you see a group of peacocks, you could call it:
- a spot
- a preen
- a strut
- an ostentation
- Other group names for peacocks are "muster," "bevy," or "party." Female peafowl are called "peahens."
Which of these is a term for a group of turtles?
- a shell
- a snap
- a squirtle
- a bale
- The word "nest" is also used sometimes.
What is a group of gorillas called?
- a team
- a company
- a safari
- a band
- Gorillas share at least 95% of their DNA with humans.
Parrots are known collectively as:
- a cackle
- an amusement
- an oration
- a pandemonium
- Occasionally, the word "company" is also used to describe a group of parrots.
A group of otters is called:
- an otterbox
- an excursion
- a couch
- a romp
- Sadly, five species of otters are on the endangered list.
Which of these is a term for a group of mules?
- a burro
- a transport
- a herd
- a pack
- A mule is the result of a male donkey and a female horse. A group of them can also be called a "span" or a "barren."
What's the collective word for hippopotamuses?
- a herd
- a pack
- a mass
- a thunder
- A group of hippos can also be called a "bloat." The name "hippopotamus" was derived from the ancient Greek word for "river horse."
What do you call a group of ferrets?
- a company
- a corporation
- a tunnel
- a business
- The Latin word for "ferret" means "smelly little thief." If you've ever known a ferret you might agree!
Salamanders are known collectively as:
- a gale
- a slither
- a tsunami
- a maelstrom
- "Maesltrom" can mean a powerful whirlpool or confused/violent turmoil.
The correct term for a gathering of lemurs is which of the following?
- a striping
- a rhinarium
- a prehensile
- a conspiracy
- The word "lemur" comes from the Latin term for "spirits of the night."
Flamingos are known collectively as:
- a flock
- a feather
- a pink
- a flamboyance
- Some people refer to flamingo groups as "stands."
One term used to describe a group of elephants is:
- a march
- a stomp
- a trunk
- a parade
- Another correct term for a group of elephants is a "herd."
Which of these words refers to a group of ravens?
- a clique
- a posse
- a streak
- an unkindness
- Groups of ravens occasionally team up to hunt prey that would be too large for a single bird to kill.
If you see a group of toads, you could use this word to describe it:
- a pile
- a wart
- a bump
- a knot
- Toads do not need to live near water to survive.
A group of buzzards is known as:
- a flock
- a funeral
- a scavenge
- a wake
- Buzzards hunt for small prey but also eat carrion, which is the flesh of animals that are already dead.
Which of these is a term for a group of porcupines?
- a quill
- a spine
- a sharpening
- a prickle
- It's fitting that porcupines are collectively referred to as a prickle.
What's a group of sharks called?
- a school
- a pod
- a fright
- a shiver
- Seeing a group of sharks could certainly send a shiver down anyone's spine.
- Ouch! Panda says you need to study up on your animal names before you try again.
- Hang in there! You could definitely stand to improve, but these guys believe in you.
- This proud peacock is telling the world that you did a pretty good job on this quiz!
- You must be an animal expert! You're as wise as an owl.
The post QUIZ: Do You Know The Strange Collective Names For These Animals? appeared first on giveitlove.
