Animal group names – Giraffes, hippos, antelope & more

Most people usually know that you call a group of lions a pride, that a family of elephants forms a herd, or that you can find ants in a colony.

However, what is a group of giraffes called? What do you call a group of hippos? How about a group of rhinos?

It’s not as easy as you think.

Learning these names will make you seem like an aficionado on safari. And there are some very humorous collective nouns in there. Meanwhile, the answers are: a tower of giraffes, a bloat of hippos, and a crash of rhinos.

Africa’s animals have even more interesting group names. There’s even a dazzle and a sounder to impress your friends with.

So shall we find out the complete list?

Here are the most interesting animal group names.

Names of Groups of Animals – List of African Animals A-Z

Since the dawn of language, mankind has been naming animals, places, things and even people. Group names, otherwise known as collective nouns, are no different.

It’s much easier and leads to less ambiguity to refer to many animals as a whole (like a pack of wolves), instead of using generic names.

As mentioned above, there are names given to a group of animals. However, the answer is not always as straight-forward as, for example, a tower of giraffes.

There are many answers to the question: ‘What do you call a group of giraffes?’ (which you can discover below).

Collective Nouns for Africa’s Mammals

Now, let’s get into it. This is a non-exhaustive list of African mammals and their respective group names:

Antelopes

What is a group of antelope called? A group of antelope is called a herd (e.g. A herd of impalas).

Apes

What do you call a group of apes? It is a shrewdness of apes.

Baboons

• A troop of baboons.
• A congress of baboons.
• A flange of baboons.

Badgers

A cete of badgers (e.g. Honey badgers).

Bats

A colony or cloud of bats.

Buffalo

A herd, troup, gang, or obstinacy of buffalo.

Cheetahs

A coalition of cheetahs.

Dolphins

• A school of dolphins.
• A pod of dolphins.

Elephants

• A herd of elephants.
• A parade of elephants.
• A crash of elephants.

Foxes

• A skulk of foxes (e.g. A skulk of bat-eared foxes).
• A cloud of foxes.
• A troop of foxes.
• A company of foxes.
• A leash of foxes.
• An earth of foxes.

Giraffes

The collective noun for giraffes can be any of the following:

• A tower of giraffes.
• A corps of giraffes.
• A troop of giraffes.
• A herd of giraffes.
• A kindergarten of giraffes.
• A journey of giraffes.
• A kaleidoscope of giraffes.

Gorillas

What do you call a group of gorillas?

• A band of gorillas.
• A troop of gorillas.
• A whoop of gorillas.

Hares

• A husk of hares.
• A down of hares.
• A mute of hares.
• A warren of hares.
• A trace of hares.

Hedgehogs

An array of hedgehogs.

Hippos

What is a group of hippos called? A group of hippos is called:

• A bloat of hippos.
• A raft of hippos.
• A pool of hippos.
• A herd of hippos.

Hyenas

• A pack of hyenas.
• A cackle of hyenas (e.g. Spotted hyenas).
• A clan of hyenas.

Hyraxes

A colony of hyraxes.

Jackals

A pack of jackals (e.g. A pack of black-backed jackals).

Lemurs

What is a group of lemurs called? It is a troop of lemurs.

Leopards

A leap or prowl of leopards (Some people even say it should be a “spot of leopards”).

Lions

• A pride of lions.
• A flock of lions.
• A souse of lions.
• A troop of lions.
• An assault of lions.

Meerkats

• A mob of meerkats.
• A gang of meerkats.
• A colony of meerkats.
• A clan of meerkats (also known as suricates).

Mice

• A horde of mice.
• A mischief of mice.
• A harvest of mice.
• A colony or a nest of mice.

Mongoose

A business of mongooses (e.g. Banded mongooses).

Monkeys

• A troop of monkeys.
• A cartload of monkeys.
• A barrel of monkeys (e.g. Vervet monkeys).

Porcupines

A prickle of porcupines.

Rhinos

• A crash of rhinos (it has to be one of my favorites of all African animal group names 🙂 ).
• A herd of rhinos.

Seals

• A colony, herd, harem, trip or rookery of seals (e.g. Cape fur seals).
• A pod of seals (small herd).

Squirrels

• A dray (e.g. A dray of ground squirrels).
• A colony of squirrels.
• A scurry of squirrels (though squirrels are seldom seen in a group).

Warthogs

What is a group of warthogs called? Warthogs live in families called sounders.

Whales

• A school of whales.
• A herd of whales.
• A grind of whales.
• A gam of whales.
• A pod of whales (small school).

Wild Dogs

A pack of wild dogs.

Wildebeest

What is a group of wildebeest called?

• A herd of wildebeest.
• An implausibility of wildebeest (or gnus).

Wolves

• A pack.
• A rout or route (when in movement) of wolves (e.g. Ethiopian wolves).

Zebras

Zebra crossing, you say? Perhaps… but not quite a correct name to use when describing Africa’s animals. Instead, you can say:

• A dazzle of zebras.
• A herd of zebras.
• A zeal of zebras (e.g. Burchell’s zebras).

African Animals – Bird Group Names

Let’s take a look at the group names for Africa’s most famous birds:

Birds (in general)

• A flock of birds.
• A flight of birds.
• A parcel of birds.
• A pod of birds (small flock).

Buzzards

A wake of buzzards.

Cormorants

• A gulp.
• A flight of cormorants.

Cranes

• A herd.
• A siege (e.g. Grey crowned cranes).
• A sedge of cranes.

Crows

• A murder of crows.
• A hover.
• A muster.
• A parcel of crows.
• A horde of crows.
• A parliament of crows.

Doves

• A flight of doves.
• A dule or dole of doves.
• A piteousness of doves.
• A plague of doves.
• A pitying (of turtle doves).

Ducks

• A raft, paddling or bunch of ducks (on water).
• A team, brace, bed, flight or flock of wild ducks (in flight).
• A badling or flush of ducks.

Eagles

• An aerie of eagles.
• A congregation of eagles.
• A convocation of eagles.

Flamingos

• A stand of flamingos.
• A flamboyance of flamingos (another of my favorite African animal group names).

Geese

• A gaggle or flock of geese.
• A plump of geese (on water).
• A skein, team or wedge of geese (in the air).

Guineafowl

• A confusion of guineafowl.
• A rasp of guineafowl.

Herons

• A scattering of herons.
• A siege of herons.
• A sedge of herons.

Ostriches

A flock or herd of ostriches.

Owls

• A parliament of owls.
• A stare or wisdom of owls.
• A study of owls.

Parrots

• A pandemonium.
• A company of parrots (e.g. African grey parrot).

Pelicans

• A squadron of pelicans.
• A pod or scoop of pelicans.

Penguins

• A rookery.
• A colony of penguins.

Pigeons

• A flock.
• A flight of pigeons.
• A kit of pigeons (flying together).

Sparrows

A host of sparrows.

Starlings

• A murmuration of starlings.
• A filth of starlings.
• A chattering of starlings.
• An affliction of starlings.

Storks

A mustering of storks (e.g. Saddle-billed stork).

Swallows

A flight of swallows.

Swans

• A bevy of swans.
• A game or team of swans.
• A herd of swans.
• A wedge (flying in a “V” formation) of swans.

Vultures

• A committee of vultures (e.g. White-backed vulture).
• A venue of vultures.
• A volt of African vultures.

Names for Groups of Animals – Reptiles and Amphibians

You can find reptiles and amphibians just about everywhere in Africa. Here are some group names for them:

Cobras

A quiver of cobras (e.g. Mozambique spitting cobra).

Crocodiles

• A congregation of crocodiles.
• A nest of crocodiles.
• A bask of crocodiles.
• A float of crocodiles.

Frogs

• An army of frogs.
• A colony of frogs (e.g. African bullfrog).
• A knot of frogs.

Snakes

• A den of snakes.
• A bed of snakes.
• A pit of snakes.
• A slither of snakes.
• A nest of snakes.
• A knot of snakes.
• A brood of snakes (family group).

Tortoises

A creep of tortoises (e.g. Leopard tortoise).

Turtles

• A bale of turtles.
• A dole of turtles.
• A nest of turtles.
• A turn of turtles.

Vipers

A nest or brood of vipers.

Groups of Animals Names – Don’t Forget the Fish

The ocean surrounds the continent of Africa and, therefore, we have to include the group names of ocean dwellers on this list.

Fish (in general)

• A shoal of fish.
• A draft of fish.
• A nest of fish.
• A school of fish.
• A run of fish (in motion).

Sharks

• A shiver of sharks.
• A school of sharks.

Africa’s Invertebrates

Last, but certainly not least, we have the invertebrates. Let’s take a look at their group names below:

Ants

A colony of ants.

Bees

Bees go by many different group names. Some of these include:

• A grist.
• A hive.
• A swarm.
• A drift.
• A bike.
• A cluster.
• An erst.
• A nest.

Caterpillars

An army of caterpillars.

Crabs

A cast of crabs.

Flies

• A cloud or swarm of flies.
• A hatch of flies.
• A business of flies.

Grasshoppers

• A cloud of grasshoppers.
• A swarm of grasshoppers.

Insects (in general)

A swarm of insects.

Mosquitoes

• A cloud of mosquitoes.
• A scourge of mosquitoes.

Spiders

A cluster of spiders.

Termites

A brood, colony, nest or swarm of termites.

What is Your Favorite Animal Group Name?

A scourge of mosquitoes, a parliament of owls, and an implausibility of wildebeest – they are just some of my other favorites on the list.

Go on safari, and when you spot any of the animals, you can correctly shout out their collective name!