Ages before biology became a formal science, humans were already finding imaginative ways to describe the natural world. One such legacy is the rich tradition of collective nouns for animals. These are phrases that go far beyond simple description to reveal how people once observed, interpreted, and mythologised animal life.
These group names are not rooted in zoology or behavioural science; rather, they emerged from history, language, and culture, shaped by the social values and creative instincts of their time.
Many of these expressions date back to medieval England, when refined speech was a marker of class and learning. Hunters, nobles, and scholars delighted in crafting colourful terms that captured an animal’s perceived character, movement, or symbolism.
Over time, these phrases became linguistic artefacts, preserving not just observations of animals, but also human emotions, beliefs, and humour. A group of lions was not merely seen together; it embodied power and dignity. Peacocks did not just gather; they displayed ostentation.
Even fear, superstition, and wit found expression in names that sounded ominous or playful.
Though modern usage no longer demands such specificity, these collective nouns endure because they enrich language. They add colour to writing, deepen storytelling, and remind us that language is as much about imagination as it is about accuracy. What follows is a celebration of these expressive group names and the history behind them.
Below are some animals names and their collective nouns.
Collective Nouns for Animals
Antelopes – a herd of antelopes
Ants – a colony of ants
Baboons – a troop of baboons
Bees – a swarm of bees
Birds – a swarm of birds / a flock of birds
Buffaloes – a gang of buffaloes
Camels – a caravan of camels
Cats (domestic) – a clowder of cats
Cheetahs – a coalition of cheetahs
Chickens – a brood of chickens
Crocodiles – a float of crocodiles
Crows – a murder of crows
Dogs – a pack of dogs
Dolphins – a pod of dolphins
Ducks – a raft of ducks
Eagles – a convocation of eagles
Elephants – a parade of elephants
Falcons – a cast of falcons
Fishes – a school of fish
Flamingos – a flamboyance of flamingos
Geese – a gaggle of geese
Giraffes – a tower of giraffes
Goats – a trip of goats
Guinea fowls – a confusion of guinea fowls
Hawks – a cast of hawks
Honey badgers – a cete of honey badgers
Hippopotamuses – a thunder of hippopotamuses
Hyenas – a cackle of hyenas
Jackals – a pack of jackals
Lions – a pride of lions
Mice – a mischief of mice
Monkeys – a gang of monkeys
Owls – a parliament of owls
Parrots – a pandemonium of parrots
Peacocks – an ostentation of peacocks
Penguins – a colony of penguins
Pigeons – a kit of pigeons
Pigs – a drove of pigs
Porcupines – a prickle of porcupines
Ravens – an unkindness of ravens
Scorpions – a bed of scorpions
Sheep – a flock of sheep
Sloths – a bed of sloths
Snakes – a nest of snakes
Tigers – an ambush of tigers
Tortoise – a creep of tortoises
Turkeys – a rafter of turkeys
Vipers – a brood of vipers
Vultures – a wake of vultures
Compiled by Dayo Emmanuel
