A Pandemonium of Parrots: Collective Nouns for Animal Groups
I recently posted an article on subject-verb agreement when the subject is a collective noun, and in researching collective nouns, I came across several sites that list the numerous and colorful names for groups of particular animals.
We all know dogs come in packs, cattle come in herds, and fish travel in schools. But did you know that a group of otters is called a romp or that a bunch of peacocks is an ostentation?
Below is a fairly comprehensive list garnered from various locations on the web. I don’t know how authoritative it is, as no two sites had quite the same list. Who’s in charge of such matters anyway?
I found myself fascinated for hours (literally) by this list. So many of these names are beautiful, clever, or evocative. Take, for example, a bloat of hippos, a bouquet of pheasants, or a murmuration of starlings. I love the alliteration of a flamboyance of flamingos, a rhumba of rattlesnakes, or a scurry of squirrels. Or the humor of a prickle of porcupines, a memory of elephants, or a lounge of lizards (really?) I can’t pick a favorite — an ambush of tigers? A murder of crows? A pounce of cats? There is poetry here.
Please don’t resist the urge to talk about your favorites in the comments below! And, of course, feel free to share this.
*****
Hi Brian –
An Exaltation of Larks is my favorite and a great book too!
My favorite: A fever of stingrays
I believe a “Congress” of Baboons is also acceptable.
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What do you call a group of trees? A cluster? A stand?
what is collective nouns of pandas
My fave is GRUMBLE of pugs!
I see you have a ‘nest’ of mice, what would be the grouping designation of rats?
(Vacationing on the island of Kauai famous for its feral roosters)
a racket of roosters
Nice
So, the question is, how MANY of the animal does it take to qualify for the use of the collective noun? How many parrots in a pandemonium of them?
Two or more, I assume, but I don’t know for sure. Good question.
A friend of mine, who co-founded and co-runs an animal sanctuary in Vermont, came up with a collective noun for roosters in this blog: http://blog.bravebirds.org/archives/2557 (As you read it, look closely for the asterisk!)
As you’ll see, one of the commenters (CQ by name) referred readers of that blog to yours, Brian. Your commenters are quite as clever as the people who invented the names in your comprehensive list!
BTW, I’m adding your blog to my favorites. 🙂
May I suggest: pandemonium of pandas , caravan of camels, armada of alligators, phalanx of armadillos or rhinoceros, mess of pigs, flotilla of pelicans, reunion of raccoons & brace of bears.
You may. “Brace” however, means “pair.”
I strongly suspect , bored poets.
Hi
thanks for sharing such wonderful lnfo , would be happy if you pls tell the origin of such collective noun , i mean why do we call the group of otters as a romp or that a bunch of peacocks as an ostentation or Pandemonium of Parrots ?
Thanks .
I wish I knew, Abhra. I wonder myself who invented the terms and how they came to be recognized.
What about ‘a gaggle of girls’?
I have been fascinated by these since childhood, as you say they evoke much more than the commonplace. As a teacher I introduce the more common of these each year, although they are not part of the national curriculum, because they are so delightful and in danger of not being known. We usually have fun with collective nouns for different professions. My favourite so far has been, ‘ an amen of vicars’!
You left out Coven of Ravens.
I think a “gulp of swallows” has to be the funniest one!
“An ambush of tigers”
LOL
It’s interesting to see just how many there are. I can’t pick a favorite! An ubiquity of sparrows, a shiver of sharks, a parliament of owls, and a conspiracy of ravens were in my top 10. =]
🙂
When you said fairly comprehensive, I think that was the understatement of the year 🙂 .