Did you know that English has many words to describe different groups of animals? Here are the most important ones:

A group of 4-legged grazing (plant-eating) animals is generally called a herd (e.g. a herd of elephants).

A group of 4-legged hunting (meat-eating) animals is generally called a pack (e.g. a pack of wolves).

A group of birds is generally called a flock (e.g. a flock of Canada geese).

A group of fish is generally called a school (e.g. a school of clownfish).

A group of insects is generally called a swarm (e.g. a swarm of bees). A group of small animals, especially vermin such as rats, can also be called a swarm.

The words above are very general and are probably the most useful ones to learn. However, there are many specific words that even native English speakers may not know!

For example, while it’s fairly well-known that a group of lions is called a pride, it’s less well-known that a group of crows is called a murder and a group of whales is called a pod. And almost no one knows that a group of toads is called a knot!  

Keep an eye out for more interesting words that describe groups of animals!