Sometimes a herd is just a herd…
I know this doesn’t have much to do with photography, but I thought I’d do a quiz on collective nouns for the animals I’ve seen around the world.
It’s fun to find out the proper names (particularly for safari animals), and it can be a good way of passing the time on a game drive while you’re waiting for a couple of lions to wake up…!
Have a look at the pictures below. What’s the collective noun for each animal shown?
(Answers can be found at the end of the article.)
How did you do? Anything over 30 and you must be an experienced safari-goer (and great at pub quizzes!). Anything less than 10 and you might need to brush up on your trivia…
Answers
Troop or flange of baboons
Herd, troop, gang or obstinacy of buffalos
Coalition of cheetahs
Bask (on land) or float (in water) of crocodiles
Convocation or aerie of eagles
Stand, colony, pat or flamboyance of flamingos
Leash, skulk, earth, lead or troop of foxes
Gaggle of geese
a. Journey, b. Tower of giraffes
Band or troop of gorillas
Confusion of guineafowl
Sedge, siege or hedge of herons
Bloat of hippopotamuses
Cackle or clan of hyenas
Mess of iguanas
a. Bachelor herd, b. harem of impalas
Skulk of jackals
Exaltation or ascension of larks
Leap of leopards
Pride, sault or troop of lions
Lounge of lizards
business of mongooses (NOT ‘mongeese’!)
Troop, barrel, carload, cartload or tribe of monkeys
Pride of ostriches
Romp of otters
Parliament or stare of owls
Fling of oxpeckers
Pod of pelicans
Crash or stubbornness of rhinoceroses
Den, nest, pit, bed or knot of snakes
Cluster or clutter of spiders
Mustering or muster of storks
Creep of tortoises
a. Venue, b. kettle (or wake) of vultures
Pack of wild dogs/painted wolves
Confusion of wildebeests
Descent of woodpeckers
Crossing, cohort, herd, dazzle or zeal of zebras
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