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English- Words: 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 (pencils or sticks of coloured chalk or wax), 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 Collective Name Animal


herd of antelope cry of hounds
army of ants mute of hounds
colony of ants pack of hounds
swarm of ants charm of hummingbirds
shrewdness of apes clan of hyenas
flange of baboons band of jays
congress of baboons party of jays
tribe of baboons scold of jays
culture of bacteria smack of jellyfish
cete of badgers herd of kangaroos
colony of badgers mob of kangaroos
sleuth of bears troop of kangaroos
sloth of bears deceit of lapwings
pack of bears (polar bears) ascension of larks
colony of beavers exaltation of larks
lodge of beavers leap of leopards
flight of bees leep of leopards
grist of bees lepe of leopards
hive of bees pride of lions
swarm of bees sault of lions
congregation of birds sowse of lions
dissimulation of birds troop of lions
flight of birds lounge of lizards
flock of birds herd of llamas
volery of birds plague of locusts
sedge of bitterns tidings of magpies
siege of bitterns sord of mallards
herd of boar stud of mares
singular of boar richness of martens
sounder of boar horde of mice
chain of bobolinks mischief of mice
brace of bucks nest of mice
clash of bucks company of moles
herd of buffalo labor of moles
rabble of butterflies movement of moles
swarm of butterflies cartload of monkeys
wake of buzzards tribe of monkeys
flock of camels troop of monkeys
army of caterpillars troup of monkeys
clowder of cats herd of moose
clutter of cats barren of mules
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glaring of cats pack of mules
pounce of cats rake of mules
dout of cats (house cats) span of mules
nuisance of cats (house cats) watch of nightingales
kendle of cats (kittens) bevy of otter
kindle of cats (kittens) family of otter
litter of cats (kittens) raft of otter
destruction of cats (wild cats) romp of otter
drove of cattle parliament of owls
herd of cattle drove of oxen
kine of cattle herd of oxen
team of cattle span of oxen
yoke of cattle (two) team of oxen
herd of chamois yoke of oxen (two)
brood of chickens bed of oysters
flock of chickens company of parrots
peep of chickens covey of partridges
brood of chicks muster of peacocks
chattering of chicks ostentation of peacocks
clutch of chicks colony of penguins
cartload of chimpanzees crche of penguins
herd of chinchillas huddle of penguins
bed of clams parcel of penguins
quiver of cobras rookery of penguins
rag of colts nest of pheasants
rake of colts nide of pheasants (on the ground)
bury of conies nye of pheasants (on the ground)
cover of coots bouquet of pheasants (when flushed)
flight of cormorants flight of pigeons
band of coyotes flock of pigeons
sedge of cranes drove of pigs
siege of cranes herd of pigs
congregation of crocodiles litter of pigs
float of crocodiles farrow of pigs (piglets)
storytelling of crows sounder of pigs (wild pigs)
murder of crows shoal of pilchards
herd of deer congregation of plovers
leash of deer wing of plovers
parcel of deer chine of polecats
bevy of deer (roe deer) string of ponies
kennel of dogs pod of porpoises
pack of dogs school of porpoises
litter of dogs (puppies) passel of possum
pod of dolphins coterie of prairie dogs
drove of donkeys bevy of quail
herd of donkeys covey of quail
pace of donkeys bury of rabbits
trip of dotterel colony of rabbits
bevy of doves down of rabbits
cote of doves drove of rabbits
dole of doves husk of rabbits

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dule of doves leash of rabbits
flight of doves trace of rabbits
piteousness of doves trip of rabbits
flight of dragons warren of rabbits
weyr of dragons nest of rabbits (young)
wing of dragons wrack of rabbits (young)
brace of ducks gaze of raccoons
flock of ducks nursery of raccoons
flush of ducks colony of rats
paddling of ducks horde of rats
raft of ducks mischief of rats
team of ducks pack of rats
aerie of eagles plague of rats
convocation of eagles swarm of rats
swarm of eels rhumba of rattlesnakes
herd of elephants storytelling of ravens
memory of elephants unkindness of ravens
parade of elephants crash of rhinocerouses
gang of elk building of rooks
herd of elk clamor of rooks
mob of emus storytelling of rooks
business of ferrets run of salmon
cast of ferrets school of salmon
fesnyng of ferrets shoal of salmon
charm of finches bob of seals
catch of fish colony of seals
haul of fish crash of seals
run of fish harem of seals
school of fish herd of seals
shoal of fish pod of seals
swarm of flies rookery of seals
lead of foxes spring of seals
leash of foxes team of seals
skulk of foxes school of shark
army of frogs shiver of shark
colony of frogs down of sheep
knot of frogs drove of sheep
flock of geese flock of sheep
gaggle of geese fold of sheep
skein of geese (in flight) hurtle of sheep
wedge of geese (flying in a 'V') trip of sheep
horde of gerbils bed of snakes
corps of giraffes den of snakes
herd of giraffes nest of snakes
tower of giraffes pit of snakes
cloud of gnats walk of snipes
horde of gnats wisp of snipes
swarm of gnats host of sparrows
herd of gnus dray of squirrels
implausibility of gnus scurry of squirrels
drove of goats murmuration of starlings

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herd of goats muster of storks
tribe of goats mustering of storks
trip of goats flight of swallows
charm of goldfinches bevy of swans
glint of goldfish herd of swans
band of gorillas wedge of swans (flying in a 'V')
skein of goslings flock of swifts
leash of greyhounds drift of swine
covey of grouse sounder of swine
pack of grouse spring of teals
colony of gulls ambush of tigers
group of guinea pigs streak of tigers
horde of hamsters knot of toads
drove of hares hover of trout
down of hares flock of turkeys
husk of hares brood of turkeys (immature)
leash of hares bale of turtles
trace of hares generation of vipers
trip of hares nest of vipers
warren of hares colony of vultures
aerie of hawks mob of wallabees
cast of hawks herd of walruses
kettle of hawks pod of walruses
array of hedgehogs pack of weasels
prickle of hedgehogs sneak of weasels
brood of hens gam of whales
hedge of herons herd of whales
sedge of herons pod of whales
siege of herons school of whales
shoal of herrings plump of wildfowl
crash of hippopotami herd of wolves
herd of hippopotami pack of wolves
bloat of hippopotami rout of wolves
drift of hogs route of wolves
parcel of hogs warren of wombats
passel of hogs fall of woodcocks
nest of hornets descent of woodpeckers
harras of horses herd of yaks
herd of horses herd of zebras
stable of horses zeal of zebras
team of horses
troop of horses

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