List of English terms of venery, by animal

A skein of geese

This is a list of English terms of venery (venery being an archaic word for hunting), comprising terms from a tradition that arose in the Late Middle Ages, at least partly from the Book of Saint Albans of 1486, a historic list of "company terms". The present list also includes more common collective terms (such as "herd" and "flock") for some animals.

Standard terms for particular groups are listed first in each group and shown in bold.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
Subject Collective noun Notes Sources
A
albatross rookery [1]
antelopesherd[2]
antsarmy[3]
colony[3][4]
nest[3]
swarm[3]
apesshrewdness[2][5][6]
troop[3]
assesherd[3]
drovewhen driven in a group[3]
pace or passe[3][4]
B
baboonstroop[3][6]
badgerscete[3][4][6][7]
batscolony[4]
bearssleuth or sloth[3][4][6]
beaverscolony[3]
family[3]
beesswarm[6]
drift[6]
erst[6]
grist[4]
birdsflock[6]
flight[6]
pod[6]
bitternssedge or sege[4][5][8][9]
boarssounder12 or more[7]
buffaloherd[4][6]
bullfinchesbellowing[6]
bullocksdrovewhen driven in a group[6]
butterfliesswarm[10]
flutter[11]
kaleidoscope[12]
C
capercaillietok[13]
caponsmews[14]
caribouherd[14]
catsclowder[3][4]
glaring[15]
pounce[4]
destructionferal cats[6][16]
cattlemobwhen driven in a group[17]
chickensclutch[6]
cheetahs coalition males only [18]
choughs chattering or clattering[5][6][7][19][20]
coltsrag[4][6][7]
rake[6]
cormorantsgulp[4]
cootscovert[5][6][9]
coyotespack
cranesherd[5][6][9]
sedge or sege[4][8]
siege [21]
crocodilesbask[4]
crowsmurder, horde or wake (when feeding)[4][6][7]
curlewsherd[5][6][7][9]
D
deerherd[6]
parcel[22]
dogspack[6]
dolphinspod[23][24]
dottereltrip[4][6][25]
dovesdole or dulefanciful[4][5][6]
flight[9]
ducksbadling or badelynge[4][9]
paddlingon water[4][6]
plump[26][27]
rafton water[4][6]
dunlinsfling[6]
E
eaglesconvocation[4]
eelsbed[3]
elephantsherd[4]
elkgang[6][7]
herd[6]
F
falconscast[28]
ferretsbusinesscorruption over time of 'busyness'[4][7]
busyness[5]
besyness
fesynes
fesnyng
feamyng		ghost words arising from successive misspellings of "busyness"[29]
finchescharm or chirm[4][6]
fishschool[4]
shoal[4]
flamingoesstand[4]
flamboyance [30]
colony [30]
regiment [30]
fliesbusiness[4]
foxesleash[4]
skulk[4]
frogsarmy[4]
G
geeseflockon land[4]
gaggleon land[4][6][9]
skeinin flight[4][6]
giraffes herd[6]
tower[4]
gnatscloud[4][6]
horde[4]
goatsflock[6]
trip [6]
goldfinchescharm[9]
gorillasband[4]
goshawksflight[5]
gracklesplague[31]
grasshopperscloud[4]
grousecovey[6]
guineafowlrasp[32]
H
hawksboiltwo or more spiralling in flight[4]
cast[4][5]
kettleflying in large numbers[4]
lease[5]
hensbrood[9]
heronssedge or sege[4][5][7][8][9]
siege[4][6]
hippopotamusesbloat[4]
hogsparcelSee also boars, pigs, swine[33][34]
hornetsnest[4]
horsesteamin harness[4]
haras or harrase[4]
herd
string[4]
stud[4]
houndspack
hyenasclan
I
ibexherd
insectsswarm
J
jackdawsclattering[35]
train[35][36]
jaysparty[4]
scold[4]
jellyfishfluther[6]
smack[4][6]
K
kangaroosmob[3]
troop[3][4]
kittenskindle[6]
litter
L
lapwingsdeceit or desert[4][5][6][7][37]
larksbevy[6]
exaltation[5][6][7][9]
leopardsleap or lepe[3][4][6]
lionspride[3][4][6]
sawt[6]
locustsplague[4]
M
mackerelshoal
magpiescharm[4]
gulp[4]
murder[4]
tiding[4][5][6]
mallardssord[4][6][9]
suit or sute[6][9]
flush [38]
maresstud[6][7]
martensrichesse or richness[4][6]
micenest[3]
minnowsshoal
moleslabor or labour[3][4][6]
monkeysbarrel[3][4]
troop[4][6]
wilderness[39]
mooseherd[3]
mulesbarren[3][4][6][7]
span[3][4]
N
nightingaleswatch[5][6][9]
O
octopusrally[3]
owlsparliament[3][4][7]
oxendrove[3]
team[3][4]
yoke[3][4]
oystersbed[3][4]
P
parrotscompany[3][4]
pandemonium[3]
partridgescovey[4][6][9]
peacocksmuster[4][6][7][9]
ostentation[3][4]
pride[3]
pelicanspod[3]
penguinscolony[3][4]
convent[3]
tuxedo[40]
pheasantsbouquet[3][4]
head[6]
nest[4]
nide[4]
nye[3][4][6][7][9]
pigsdriftSee also boars, hogs, swine[3][4]
drove[3][4]
pigeonskitflying together[6]
ploverscongregation[5][6][9]
stand[6]
wing[6]
Q
quailbevy[3][4][5][6][9]
covey[3][4]
drift[6]
R
rabbitscolony[4]
nest[4]
herddomestic only[4]
litteryoung rabbits only[4]
raccoonsgaze[3]
ratsmischief[41]
ravensunkindness[5][6]
rhinocerosescrash[3][4][6]
rooksbuilding[5][6][9]
parliament[6][7]
S
sealspod[6]
sea urchinsherd[42][43]
seagull squabble
sheepflock[3][4]
drovewhen driven in a group[4]
herd[4]
hurtle[3]
pack[3]
sheldrakedopping[9][44]
snakesbed[3]
den[3]
knot[3]
nest[4]
pit[3]
snipeswalk[6][7][9]
whisp or wisp[6]
sparrowshost[3][4][5][6][9]
spiderscluster or clutter[3]
squirrelsdray[3][4]
scurry[3][4]
starlingschattering[3][19]
murmuration[3][5][6][7][9]
storksmustering[3][4]
phalanx when migrating [45]
swallowsflight[3][4][9]
swansbankon the ground[3]
bevy[3][4]
flight[3]
game[6]
herd[3][9]
wedgein flight[3][4][6]
swiftsflock
scream[46]
swinedrift[7]
T
tealspring[4][5][6][9]
tigersambush[3]
streak[3][4]
toadsknot[3][4]
nest[3]
trouthover[3][4]
turkeysgang[4]
rafter[3][4]
turtlesbale[3][4]
dole or dule[3][9]
nest[4]
turtle dovesdole or dule[5]
pitying[4]
V
vipersnest[4]
vultureskettlein flight[47]
committeewhile resting[47]
wakewhen feeding[47]
W
walrusesherd[4]
pod[4]
waterfowlbunch[6]
knobfewer than 30 (fanciful)[48]
raft[6]
weaselscolony[3]
pack[3]
whalesgam[3][4]
herd[4]
mob[3]
pod[3][4]
wigeonscompany[4][6]
trip[6]
wildfowlbunch[6]
knobfewer than 30 (fanciful)[48]
plump[6]
trip[6]
wolvespack[3][4]
rout or routewhen in movement[3][4]
wombatswisdom[49]
woodcocksfall[4][5][6][9]
woodpeckersdescent[3][4][6]
wrensherd[5][6]
Z
zebrasherd[3]
dazzle[50]
zeal[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Tersigni, Dean. "Animal Groups". www.thealmightyguru.com. Retrieved 2018-01-06.
  2. 1 2 Pepper, Elizabeth (2003). Witches all (Revised, Illustrated ed.). Tiverton, Rhode Island: Witches' Almanac Limited. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-881098-26-3.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 "San Diego Zoo". archived copy of Animal group names. Zoological Society of San Diego. Archived from the original on July 4, 2013. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 "Common Questions: What Do You Call a Group of...?". archived copy of Animal Congregations, or What Do You Call a Group of.....?. U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Berners, Dame Juliana (1881) [1486]. The Boke of Saint Albans. Introduction by William Blades. London: Elliot Stock. Retrieved 2011-05-27.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 "What do you call a group of ...?". Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved 2016-10-22.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Schott, Ben (2002). Schott's Original Miscellany. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 11. ISBN 0-7475-6320-9.
  8. 1 2 3 "Sege" – via The Free Dictionary.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Strutt, Joseph (1801). The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England. London: J. White. p. 28.
  10. ↑ "Butterflies and Moths of North America – collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera". butterfliesandmoths.org.
  11. ↑ "Monarch Butterfly: Danaus plexippus". National Geographic.
  12. ↑ "What do you call a group of butterflies?". reference.com.
  13. ↑ "BTO BirdFacts – Capercaillie". bto.org.
  14. 1 2 Faulkner, Mark; Lima Filho, Eduardo; Logan, Harriet; Mina, Miraphora (2013). A Compendium of Collective Nouns: From an Armory of Aardvarks to a Zeal of Zebras. Text by Jay Sacher. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. p. 37. ASIN B00CUSQNWO. ISBN 978-1-4521-2952-5. LCCN 2013-10190. OCLC 854853170.
  15. ↑ "What do you call a group of ...?". Oxford Dictionaries Online. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  16. ↑ "destruction" – via The Free Dictionary.
  17. ↑ mob. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved November 30, 2015 from Dictionary.com website http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mob
  18. ↑ "What is a group of cheetahs called?". Reference. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
  19. 1 2 "chattering" – via The Free Dictionary.
  20. ↑ "clattering" – via The Free Dictionary.
  21. ↑ "≡ List of Collective Nouns for Birds + Group Names for Birds & Poultries". Adducation. Retrieved 2018-01-06.
  22. ↑ Scrope, William (1883). Days of deer-stalking in the Scottish Highlands. London: Hamilton, Adams & Co. p. 83. He pressed forward rapidly, still out of sight of both parcels of deer
  23. ↑ "Battle to save NY pod of dolphins". BBC News. 17 January 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  24. ↑ A Pod of Dolphins – NASA Mars Collection
  25. ↑ "BTO BirdFacts – Dotterel". bto.org.
  26. ↑ "plump: meaning and definitions". infoplease.com.
  27. ↑ Plump[4] - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
  28. ↑ "cast". Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. 1989.
  29. ↑ Borgmann, Dmitri A. (1967). Beyond Language: Adventures in Word and Thought. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. pp. 79–80, 146, 251–254. OCLC 655067975.
  30. 1 2 3 "Animal Groups". About.com. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  31. ↑ Murphy-Hiscock, A. (2012). Birds - A Spiritual Field Guide: Explore the Symbology and Significance of These Divine Winged Messengers. Adams Media. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-4405-2688-6. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  32. ↑ Lynn-Allen, Lieut.-Colonel B. G. (1951). Shot-gun and Sunlight – The Game Birds of East Africa. London: Batchworth Press.
  33. ↑ Avery Craven (1957). The coming of the Civil War. University of Chicago Press. p. 30. ISBN 0-226-11894-0.
  34. ↑ Schoultz, Lars (1998). Beneath the United States. Harvard University Press. p. 1. ISBN 0-674-92276-X. They are lazy, dirty, nasty, and in short I can compare them to nothing but a parcel of hogs. (John Quincy Adams, age 12)
  35. 1 2 Skull, Amanda. "Bird Watch – Jackdaw" (PDF). Bird Watch. British Trust for Ornithology. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  36. ↑ White, Gilbert (1833). The Natural History of Selborne. London, United Kingdom: N. Hailes. p. 163.
  37. ↑ "BTO BirdFacts – Lapwing". bto.org.
  38. ↑ "Do You Know the Proper Names for Different Bird Flocks?". The Spruce. Retrieved 2018-01-06.
  39. ↑ Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice, Act III, Scene i
  40. ↑ Jouventin, Pierre (2017). Why Penguins Communicate. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. p. 235.
  41. ↑ "ABC Creature Features - Rats". ABC.
  42. ↑ "Balancing Act: Otters, Urchins and Kelp". Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  43. ↑ "Blue Planet: The Deep".
  44. ↑ "Dopping" – via The Free Dictionary.
  45. ↑ "≡ List of Collective Nouns for Birds + Group Names for Birds & Poultries". Adducation. Retrieved 2018-01-06.
  46. ↑ "BTO BirdFacts – Swift". bto.org.
  47. 1 2 3 Galván, Javier (2014). They Do What? A Cultural Encyclopedia of Extraordinary and Exotic Customs from around the World. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 289. ISBN 1610693426.
  48. 1 2 Ellery, Sue (November 11, 2012). Gallimaufry. Lulu.com. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-291-15774-1.
  49. ↑ "Animal Encounters – Nat Geo Wild".
  50. ↑ van der Post, Laurens (1958). The Lost World of the Kalahari. Harcourt Brace & Company. p. 196.

Further reading

  • Hodgkin, John (1909). Proper Terms: An Attempt at Rational Explanation of the Meanings of the Collection of Phrases in "The Book of St. Albans," 1486, Entitled "Companys of Beestys and Fowlys," and Similar Lists'. Supplement to the Transactions of the Philological Society, 1907–1910.
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