What Animals Form a Flock?
The most famous collective noun in English — applied here to nine animals that aren’t the sheep you’d expect.
Which Animals Form a Flock?
“Flock” describes a genuinely wide range of animals, including bustards, geese, kangaroos, lions, llamas, moorhens, plovers, pochards, and swifts. Most people think of “flock” purely as a sheep word (or bird word), but it’s actually one of the broadest, most flexible collective nouns in English — used for lions and kangaroos every bit as legitimately as for geese.
Where Does “Flock” Come From?
“Flock” comes from Old English flocc, simply meaning “a group, a company, a crowd” — with no built-in restriction to birds or sheep at all. That generality is exactly why it spread so widely: it was the default, all-purpose word for “a bunch of them” long before English developed the huge specialized vocabulary of collective nouns (murder, parliament, pod, and so on) that later carved out more specific territory.
Flock vs. Herd vs. Pack
All three describe animals moving or living together, but they carry different flavors from centuries of specialized use. “Herd” leans toward large grazing mammals moving as one. “Pack” implies coordinated, often predatory behavior. “Flock” is the least specific of the three and the oldest in this general sense — which is exactly why it still shows up attached to birds, mammals, and even a big cat like the lion, where “pride” is the more usual choice but “flock” isn’t wrong.
Animal-by-Animal Breakdown
Bustards: Large ground birds, most commonly grouped as a “flock” or the more unusual “drove.”
Geese: A “flock” on the ground, though famously a “gaggle” when grounded and specifically a “skein” in flight — geese collect more situational terms than almost any other bird.
Kangaroos: More commonly a “mob” or “troop,” with “flock” a genuine but less frequent alternate.
Lions: Almost always a “pride” — “flock” is a rare, non-standard alternate rarely used in practice, included here for completeness.
Llamas: Commonly a “flock” or “herd” interchangeably, since llamas are raised much like sheep in many farming contexts.
Moorhens: Water birds typically called a “flock” or “plump” when gathered on open water.
Plovers: Usually a “congregation” or “wing,” with “flock” used as a general-purpose alternate.
Pochards: A diving duck species, typically called a “flock” or “rush” in flight.
Swifts: Commonly a “flock” or, more evocatively, a “screaming party” — a nod to their distinctive high-pitched calls in flight.
🧠 Test Your Knowledge
Three quick questions. See what stuck.1. What did “flock” originally mean in Old English?
2. What is the more usual collective noun for lions?
3. What is a group of swifts sometimes evocatively called?
Frequently Asked Questions
What animals form a flock?
Bustards, geese, kangaroos, lions, llamas, moorhens, plovers, pochards, and swifts are all described as a flock, alongside its most famous association, sheep.
Is flock only used for birds and sheep?
No. Flock is one of the broadest collective nouns in English and applies to a wide range of mammals too, including kangaroos, llamas, and even lions as a non-standard alternate to pride.
Where does the word flock come from?
From Old English flocc, simply meaning “a group, a company, a crowd,” with no built-in restriction to any particular animal.
What is the standard collective noun for lions?
Pride is by far the standard term. Flock is a rare, non-standard alternate.
What is a group of geese called in flight versus on the ground?
On the ground, geese are a gaggle or flock. In flight, they’re specifically called a skein.