Last week, Year Five had the homework task of finding plural nouns of different animals. They had an additional challenge to also find obscure collective nouns of animals!
Here are some of their findings! Are there any that you didn’t know?
Miss Aslett
Albatross
Rookery
Alligators
Congregation
Apes
Shrewdness, Troop
Antelope
Herd
Ants
Colony, Army, Swarm, Nest
Asses
Pace, Herd, Drove
Auks
Colony, Flock, Raft
Baboons
Troop, Flange
Bacteria
Culture
Badgers
Cete, Colony, Set, Company
Barracudas
Battery
Bats
Colony, Cloud
Bass
Shoal
Bears (General)
Sloth, Sleuth
Bears (Cubs)
Litter
Beavers
Colony, Family
Bees
Grist, Hive, Swarm, Nest
Birds (Chicks)
Brood, Clutch
Birds (Flight)
Flight
Birds (Game)
Volary, Brace, Plump, Knob
Birds (Ground)
Flock, Dissimulation
Birds (Sea)
Wreck
Bison
Herd
Bitterns
Sedge, Seige
Bloodhounds
Sute
Bobolinks
Chain
Buffalo
Herd, Troop, Gang, Obstinancy
Bullfinches
Bellowing
Bullocks
Drove
Butterflies
Flight, Flutter, (Many more)
Buzzards
Wake
Camels
Caravan, Train, Flock
Capons
Mews
Caribou
Herd
Caterpillars
Army
Cats (General)
Clowder, Clutter, Pounce, Dout, Nuisance, Glorying, Glare
Cats (Kittens)
Kindle, Litter, Intrigue
Cats (Wild)
Destruction
Cattle
Drove, Herd, Team
Cheetahs
Coalition
Chickens (General)
Brood, Peep
Chickens (Chicks)
Clutch, Chattering
Chinchilla
Colony
Choughs
Clattering
Clams
Bed
Cobras
Quiver
Cockroaches
Intrusion
Cod
Lap
Coots
Cover, Raft
Cormorants
Gulp
Cows
Kine
Coyotes
Band
Crabs
Cast
Cranes
Sedge, Seige
Crocodiles
Bask, Float
Crows
Murder, Horde, Parcel, Storytelling
Curlews
Herd
Deer (General)
Herd, Leash, Gang
Deer (Buck)
Brace, Clash
Deer (Roe)
Bevy
Dogs (General)
Kennel
Dogs (Curs)
Cowardice
Dogs (Hounds)
Cry, Mute, Pack
Dogs (Puppies)
Litter
Dogs (Wild)
Pack
Dolphins
Pod
Donkeys
Drove, Pace, Herd
Dotterel
Trip
Doves (General)
Dule, Bevy, Cote, Dole, Paddling
Doves (Turtle)
Pitying, Piteousness
Ducks (Flight)
Flock
Ducks (Ground)
Brace, badling
Ducks (Water)
Raft, Team, Paddling
Dunlins
Fling
Eagles
Convocation, Aerie
Eels
Swarm, Bed, Fry
Elephants
Herd, Memory
Elk
Gang, Herd
Emus
Mob
Falcons
Cast
Ferrets
Business, Cast, Fesnying
Finches
Charm
Fish (General)
Draft, Nest, Shoal, School (“school” is possibly a corruption of shoal)
Fish (Caught)
Catch, Drought, Haul
Flamingoes
Stand, Flamboyance
Flies
Business, Swarm, Cloud
Frogs
Army, Colony, Knot
Fox
Leash, Skulk, Earth, Lead, Troop
Geese (General)
Flock
Geese (Flight)
Skein
Geese (Ground)
Gaggle, Herd, Corps
Giraffes
Tower
Gnats
Cloud, Horde, Swarm
Gnus
Implausibility
Goats
Tribe, Trip, Drove, Herd, Flock
Goldfinches
Charm
Goldfish
Glint, Troubling
Gorillas
Band, Troop
Goshawks
Flight
Grasshoppers
Cloud
Greyhounds
Leash
Grouse
Pack, Covey
Guillemots
Bazaar
Gulls
Colony, Screech
Guinea Fowl
Confusion
Hawks (General)
Cast
Hawks (Flight)
Kettle
Hawks (Spiraling)
Boil
Hedgehogs
Array
Herons
Sedge, Siege, Hedge
Herring
Army, Shoal
Hippopotamuses
Bloat
Hornets
Nest, Bike
Horses (General)
Team, Harras, Stable, Troop, Stud (a group belonging to one owner)
Horses (Colts)
Rag, Rake
Horses (Ponies)
String
Horses (Wild)
Herd
Hummingbirds
Charm
Hyenas
Cackle, Clan
Impalas
Herd
Insects
Horde, Nest, Swarm, Rabble, Plague
Jays
Party, Scold, Band
Jellyfish
Smack, Brood
Kangaroos
Troop, Mob, Herd
Lapwings
Deceit
Larks
Exaltation, Ascension
Leopards
Leap
Lice
Flock
Lions
Pride, Sault, Troop
Lizards
Lounge
Locusts
Plague
Magpies
Tiding, Gulp, Murder, Charm
Mallards (General)
Brace
Mallards (Flight)
Sord
Martens
Richness
Mice
Mischief
Midges
Bite
Minnows
Shoal, Steam, Swarm
Moles
Labor, Company, Movement
Monkeys
Troop, Barrel, Carload, Cartload, Tribe
Moose
Herd
Mosquitoes
Scourge
Mudhens
Fleet
Mules
Pack, Span, Barren, Rake
Nightingales
Watch
Otters
Romp, Bevy, Family, Raft
Owls
Parliament, Stare
Oxen
Team, Yoke, Drove
Oysters
Bed
Parrots
Company, Pandemonium
Partridge
Covey, Bew
Peacocks
Muster, Ostentation, Pride
Pekingese
Pomp
Pelicans
Pod
Penguins (General)
Colony, Rookery, Huddle
Penguins (Nursery)
Crèche
Pheasants (General)
Nest, Nye
Pheasants (Brood)
Nide
Pheasants (Take-Off)
Bouquet
Pigeons
Flight, Flock, Kit
Pigs (General)
Drift, Drove
Pigs (Boars)
Singular, Sounder
Pigs (Hogs)
Team, Passel, Drift, Parcel
Pigs (Piglets)
Litter, Farrow
Pigs (Swine)
Sounder
Pilchards
Shoal
Plovers (General)
Congregation
Plovers (Flight)
Wing
Polecats
Chine
Porcupines
Prickle
Porpoises
Herd, Pod, School, Crowd, Shoal
Prairie Dogs
Coterie
Ptarmigans
Covey
Quail
Bevy, Covey
Rabbits (General)
Colony, Warren, Bury, Trace, Trip
Rabbits (Domestic)
Herd
Rabbits (Hares)
Down, Husk
Rabbits (Jackrabbit)
Husk
Rabbits (Young)
Litter, Nest
Raccoons
Gaze
Rats
Colony, Pack, Plague, Swarm
Rattlesnakes
Rhumba
Ravens
Unkindness, Storytelling
Reindeer
Herd
Rhinoceroses
Crash, Stubbornness
Roebucks
Bevy
Rooks
Building, Clamor, Parliament
Ruffs
Hill
Salamandars
Congress
Salmon
Run
Sandpipers
Fling
Sardines
Family
Scorpions
Bed, Nest
Seabirds
Wreck
Seals
Pod, Bob, Harem, Herd, Rookery
Sharks
Shiver, School, Shoal
Sheep
Drove, Flock, Down, Hurtle, Fold, Pack, Trip
Sheldrakes
Doading
Skylarks
Exultation
Squirrels
Dray, Scurry
Snails
Escargatoire, Rout, Walk
Snakes
Den, Nest, Pit, Bed, Knot
Snipe
Walk, Wisp
Sparrows
Host
Spiders
Cluster, Clutter
Springbok
Herd
Squirrels
Dray, Scurry
Starlings
Murmuration, Chattering
Stingrays
Fever
Stoats
Pack, Trip
Storks
Mustering, Muster
Swallows
Flight, Gulp
Swans (General)
Bevy, Bank, Herd
Swans (Flight)
Wedge, Flight
Swifts
Flock
Teal
Spring
Termites
Colony, Nest, Swarm, Brood
Thrush
Mutation
Tigers
Streak, Ambush
Toads
Knot, Knab, Nest
Trout
Hover
Turkeys
Rafter, Gang, Posse
Turtles
Bale, Nest, Turn, Dole
Turtle Doves
Pitying, Dule
Vipers
Generation, Nest
Vultures
Venue
Vultures (Circling)
Kettle
Walruses
Herd, Pod
Wasps
Nest, Swarm
Waterfowl
Knob, Plump
Weasles
Gang, Colony, Pack
Whales
Pod, Gam, Herd, School, Mod
Widgeons
Company
Wildfowl
Plump
Wolves (General)
Pack
Wolves (Moving)
Route, Rout
Wombats
Wisdom
Woodcocks
Fall
Woodpeckers
Descent
Worms
Bed, Clew, Bunch, Clat
Wrens
Herd
Zebras
Zeal, Crossing, Dazzle, Cohorts, Herd
herd of sheep
army of ants
sloth of bears
litter of kittens
clash of ducks
A shrewness of apes
A herd of elephants
A pack of wolves
A army of ants
A swarm of bees
A gaggle of geese
A school of dolphins
Collective Nouns
A Team of Divers
A Pack of Wolves
A Bunch of Grapes
A Herd of Sheep
A School of Fish
An Army of Soldiers
A Bunch of Keys
A Bunch of Flowers
A Litter of Kittens
A Hive of Bees
cow cows cattel
baboon baboon flange
dragonfly dragonflys cluster
eagle eagles convocation
hippo hippopotami bloat
hedgehog hedgehogs array
gairffe gairffes towers
Did you know these collective nouns of these animals:
Kittens- Litter
Albatross- Rookery
Ants- Army
Jellyfish- Smack
Wolves- Pack
Camels- Caravan
Flies- Swarm
Alligators- Congregation
Camels- Tower
Apes A shrewdness
Asses A pace
Badgers A cete
Bats A colony
Bears A sloth, sleuth
Buffalo A gang, an obstinacy (I suspect these refer to old world buffalo; use “herd” for American bison)
Cats A clowder, a pounce; for kittens…A kindle, litter, an intrigue
Cattle A drove, herd
Deer A herd, bevy (refers only to roe deer)
Dogs A litter (young), pack (wild), cowardice (of curs); specific to hounds…A cry, mute, pack, kennel
Elephants A herd
Elk A gang
Ferrets A business
Fox A leash, skulk, earth
Giraffes A tower
Goats A tribe, trip
Gorillas A band
Hippopotamuses A bloat
Horses A team, harras, rag (for colts), stud (a group of horses belonging to a single owner, string (ponies)
Hyenas A cackle
Kangaroos A troop
Leopards A leap
Lions A pride
Martens A richness
Moles A labor
Monkeys A troop, barrel
Mules A pack, span, barren
Otters A romp
Oxen A team, yoke
Pigs A drift, drove, litter (young), sounder (of swine), team, passel (of hogs), singular (refers to a group of boars)
Porcupines A prickle
Rabbits A colony, warren, nest, herd (domestic only), litter (young); specific to hares…A down, husk
Rhinoceroses A crash
Seals A pod, herd
Sheep A drove, flock, herd
Squirrels A dray, scurry
Tigers A streak
Whales A pod, gam, herd
Wolves A pack, rout or route (when in movement)
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Birds
Birds in general A flight (in the air), flock (on the ground), volary, brace (generally for gamebirds or waterfowl, referring to a pair or couple killed by a hunter)
Bitterns A sedge
Buzzards A wake
Bobolinks A chain
Chicks (of many species) A brood; clutch
Coots A cover
Cormorants A gulp
Cranes A sedge
Crows A murder, horde
Dotterel A trip
Doves A dule, pitying (specific to turtle doves)
Ducks A brace, flock (in flight), raft (on water) team, paddling (on water), badling
Eagles A convocation
Finches A charm
Flamingos A stand
Geese A flock, gaggle (on the ground), skein (in flight)
Grouse A pack (in late season)
Gulls A colony
Hawks A cast, kettle (flying in large numbers), boil (two or more spiraling in flight)
Herons A sedge, a siege
Jays A party, scold
Lapwings A deceit
Larks An exaltation
Mallards A sord (in flight), brace
Magpies A tiding, gulp, murder, charm
Nightingales A watch
Owls A parliament
Parrots A company
Partridge A covey
Peacocks A muster, an ostentation
Penguins A colony
Pheasant A nest, nide (a brood), nye, bouquet
Plovers A congregation, wing (in flight)
Ptarmigans A covey
Rooks A building
Quail A bevy, covey
Ravens An unkindness
Snipe A walk, a wisp
Sparrows A host
Starlings A murmuration
Storks A mustering
Swallows A flight
Swans A bevy, wedge (in flight)
Teal A spring
Turkeys A rafter, gang
Widgeons A company
Woodcocks A fall
Woodpeckers A descent