Collective Nouns, etc.

Collective Nouns, Similes, Idioms, Metaphors and Expressions

Birds

ALBINA PEACOCK

PEACOCK

SIMILES

Birds:

As blithe as a bird
As free as a bird

Chickens:

As tender as a chicken

Coots:

As bald as a coot

Dodos: 

As dead as a dodo

Doves:

As gentle as a dove
As innocent as a dove

Ducks:

As a duck to water
As lame as a duck
Like a sitting duck
As readily and as naturally as duckling take to water

Jay Birds:

As naked as a jay bird

Larks:

As happy as a lark

Owls:

As drunk as a boiled owl
As wise as an owl

Parrots:

As sick as a parrot

Peacocks:

As happy as a peacock
As proud as a peacock
As vain as a peacock

Turkeys:

As freckled as a turkey's egg

Turtle Doves:

As gentle as a turtle dove

Eggs:

As innocent as a new laid egg

COLLECTIVE NOUNS

A congregation of birds

A colony of birds ... roosting in large numbers
A dissimulation of birds ... small birds
A drift of birds .... in flight
A fleet of birds
A flight of birds ... in flight
A flock of birds
A knob of birds ... game
A parcel of birds
A plump of birds . ... game birds
A rush of birds ... in migration
A parliament of fowl
A plump of fowl
A pod of birds
A setting of eggs
A volary of birds
A wreck of birds ... sea birds

Albatross

A rookery of albatrosses

Bitterns

A prettying of bitterns
A sedge of bitterns
A siege of bitterns

Blackbirds

A grind of blackbirds
A merl of blackbirds

Budgerigars

A chatter of budgerigars
A clatter of budgerigars
A flock of budgerigars

Bullfinches

A bellowing of bullfinches
A lowing of bullfinches
A volary of bullfinches

Bustards

A flock of bustards
A wake of bustards

Buzzards

A pack of buzzards
A wake of buzzards

Capercaillies

A tok of capercaillies

Chickens

A brood of chickens / chicks / hens
A chattering of chickens / chicks
A clutch of chicken's eggs
A flock of chickens
A mews of capons (male chickens)
A peep of chickens
A run of poultry

Cockatoos

A chattering of cockatoos
A crackle of cockatoos

Coots

A co-operation of coots
A cover of coots
A covert of coots
A commotion of coots
A fleet of coots
A flock of coots
A pod of coots
A raft of coots
A rasp of coots
A swarm of coots

Cormorant

A gulp of cormorants
A flight of cormorants

Crane

A flock of cranes
A sedge of cranes
A siege of cranes
A herd of cranes

Crow

A caucus of crows
A cauldron of crows
A congress of crows
A head of crows
A herd of crows
A horde of crows
A hover of crows
A murder of crows
A parcel of crows
A storytelling of crows

Curlews

A wedge of curlews

Doves

A bevy of doves
A dole of doves
A dule of doves
A covey of doves
A padding of doves
A piteousness of doves
A pitying of doves
A pretence of doves

Ducks

A badelynge of ducks
A bunch of ducks
A dropping of ducks
A flush of ducks
A plump of ducks
A waddling of ducks
A string of ducks

In the water

A padding of ducks ... in the water
A raft of ducks ... in the water
A team of ducks ... in the water

On the ground

A balding of ducks ... on the ground
A brace of ducks ... on the ground
A safe of ducks ... on the ground

In flight

A flock of ducks ... in flight

Dunlins

A fling of dunlins

Eagles

An aerie of eagles
A brood of eagles
A congregation of eagles
A convocation of eagles
An exaltation of eagles
A jubilee of eagles

Emus

A mob of emus

Falcons

A battalion of falcons
A cast of falcons
A tower of falcons

Finches

A charm of finches
A trembling of finches
A trimming of finches

Flamingoes

A colony of flamingoes
A flamboyance of flamingoes
A flurry of flamingoes
A regiment of flamingoes
A stand of flamingoes

Geese

A corps of geese
A flock of geese
A gaggle of geese
A nide of geese
A team of geese
A trip of geese
A wedge of geese (flying in V formation)

In flight

A skein of geese
A skein of goslings
A wedge of geese

In the water

A plump of geese

Goldfinches

A charm of goldfinches
A chattering of goldfinches
A drove of goldfinches
A glister of goldfinches
A vein of goldfinches

Grouse

A brace of grouse (=2)
A brood of grouse
A covey of grouse
A drumming of grouse
A pack of grouse

Guillemots

A bazaar of guillemots

Gulls

A colony of gulls
A leash of gulls
A pack of gulls
A screech of gulls

Hawks

An aerie of hawks
A cast of hawks
A knot of hawks
A leash of hawks
A mews of hawks
A moulting of hawks
A screw of hawks
A schizophrenia of hawks
A stream of hawks
A kettle of hawks ... (in flight)
A boil of hawks ... (spiralling)

Herons

A flight of herons
A scattering of herons
A sedge of herons
A siege of herons

Hummingbirds

A charm of hummingbirds
A chattering of hummingbirds
A choir of hummingbirds
A drove of hummingbirds
A glittering of hummingbirds
A hover of hummingbirds
A shimmer of hummingbirds
A troubling of hummingbirds

Jackdaws

A darkening of jackdaws

Jays

A band of jays
A party of jays
A scold of jays

Kea

A circus of kea

Kestrels

A hover of kestrels

Kingfishers

A clique of kingfishers
A concentration of kingfishers
A crown of kingfishers

Ibis

A colony of ibis

Jays

A band of jays
A party of jays
A scold of jays

Lapwings

A desert of lapwing

Larks

An ascension of larks
A bevy of larks
An exaltation of larks
A flight of larks
A happiness of larks

Lyrebirds

A musket of lyrebirds

Magpies

A charm of magpies
A congregation of magpies
A flock of magpies
A gulp of magpies
A murder of magpies
A tiding of magpies
A tittering of magpies
A tribe of magpies

Marabou Storks

A funeral of marabou storks

Merlin

A cast of merlin
A leash of merlin

Mockingbirds

An echo of mockingbirds
An exactness of mockingbirds
An impression of mockingbirds
A plagiary of mockingbirds
A precision of mockingbirds

Moorhens

A plump of moorhens

Nightingales

A flock of nightingales
A warren of nightingales
A match of nightingales
A pray of nightingales
A watch of nightingales

Ostriches

A flock of ostriches
A herd of ostriches
A pride of ostriches
A troop of ostriches
A wobble of ostriches

Owls

A company of owls
A parliament of owls
A sagacity of owls
A stare of owls
A wisdom of owls

Oxbirds

A flight of oxbirds

Partridges

A bevy of partridges
A bew of partridges
A brace of partridges
A clutch of partridges
A cover of partridges
A covey of partridges
A warren of partridges

Parrots

A company of parrots
A flock of parrots
A pandemonium of parrots
A prattle of parrots
A psittacosis of parrots

Peacocks / Peahens

A bevy of peacocks (family)
A muster of peacocks
An ostentation of peacocks
A party of peacocks
A pride of peacocks
A pulchritude of peacocks
A harem of peahens

Pelicans

A pod of pelicans
A scoop of pelicans

Penguins

A colony of penguins
A creche of penguins
A formality of penguins
A huddle of penguins
A kit of penguins
A parade of penguins
A parcel of penguins
A raft of penguins
A rookery of penguins
A waddle of penguins

Peregrins

A cage of peregrins

Pheasants

A bevy of pheasants
A bouquet of pheasants
A brace of pheasants
A creche of pheasants
A head of pheasants
A nide of pheasants
A nye of pheasants
A warren of pheasants

Pigeons

A flight of pigeons
A flock of pigeons
A kit of pigeons
A loft of pigeons
A passel of pigeons

Plovers

A band of plovers
A congregation of plovers
A flight of plovers
A stand of plovers
A wing of plovers (in flight)

Quails

A bevy of quails
A covey of quails
A flush of quails
A knob of quails

Quells

A flock of quells

Ravens

An aerie of ravens
A congress of ravens
A conspiracy of ravens
A crime of ravens
A murder of ravens
A parliament of ravens
A storytelling of ravens
A tower of ravens
An unkindness of ravens

Rooks

A building of rooks
A clamour of rooks
A congregation of rooks
A parliament of rooks
A storytelling of rooks

Sandpipers

A fling of sandpipers

Seagulls

A colony of seagulls
A flock of seagulls
A flotilla of seagulls
A squabble of seagulls

Skylarks

An exaltation of skylarks

Snipe

A volley of snipe
A wisp of snipe

Sparrows

A flight of sparrows
A host of sparrows
A mienie of sparrows
A quarrel of sparrows
A tribe of sparrows
An ubiquity of sparrows

Starlings

A chattering of starlings
A cloud of starlings
A clutter of starlings
A congregation of starlings
A flock of starlings
A murmuration of starlings
A scintillation of starlings

Storks

A flight of storks
A mustering of storks
A phalanx of storks

Sunbirds

A flight of sunbirds

Swallows

A flight of swallows
A kettle of swallows
A gulp of swallows

Swans

A ballet of swans
A bank of swans
A bevy of swans
A drift of swans
A eyrar of swans
A flight of swans ... in flight
A flock of swans
A game of swans
A herd of swans
A lamentation of swans
A sownder of swans
A squadron of swans
A team of swans
A wedge of swans
A whiteness of swans

Swallows

A flight of swallows
A gulp of swallows

Swifts

A flock of swifts
A scream of swifts

Teals

A bunch of teals
A coil of teals
A knob of teals
A spring of teals

Thrushes

A mutation of thrushes

Tits

A murmuration of tits

Toucans

A durante of toucans

Turkeys

A cream of turkeys
A dole of turkeys
A dule of turkeys
A flock of turkeys
A gang of turkeys
A posse of turkeys
A raffle of turkeys
A raft of turkeys
A rafter of turkeys

Turtle Doves

A dole of turtle doves
A dule of turtle doves
A pitying of turtle doves
A truelove of turtle doves

Vultures

A colony of vultures
A committee of vultures
A kettle of vultures (when circling)
A wake of vultures (when feeding
together at a carcass)
A venue of vultures

Waterfowl

A bunch of waterfowl
A knob of waterfowl
A raft of waterfowl
A plump of waterfowl

Widgeons

A bunch of widgeons
A company of widgeons
A coil of widgeons
A flight of widgeons
A knob of widgeons
A trip of widgeons

Wildfowl

A bunch of wildfowl
A knob of wildfowl
A lute of wildfowl
A plump of wildfowl
A sord of wildfowl
A trip of wildfowl

Woodcocks

A covey of woodcocks
A fall of woodcocks
A flight of woodcocks
A plump of woodcocks

Woodpeckers

A descent of woodpeckers
A gatling of woodpeckers
A whirlagust of woodpeckers

Wrens

A cabinet of wrens
A chime of wrens
A flock of wrens

IDIOMS, METAPHORS AND EXPRESSIONS
General

A bird
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
A bird of ill omen
A box of birds
A pigeon hole
A rare bird
A round-robin
A wet bird never flies at night
A little bird told me
An early bird catches the worm
An odd bird
An old bird
Bird's eye view
Birds in their little nest agree
Birds of a feather (flock together)
Birds of a feather flock together
Birds of the air
Bird of passage
Blue bird of happiness
Early bird
Eat like a bird
Fine feathers make a fine bird
Flying start
Free as a bird
Get the bird
Give somebody the bird
Happy as a box of birds
In the first flight
It's a bird!
Jail-bird
Like a bird
It's a ill bird that fouls in its own nest
Kill two birds with one stone
Nest egg
Strictly for the birds
Sweet bird of youth
The birds and the bees
The bird has flown
The eagle has landed
To charm the birds out of a tree
To fly high
To fly the coop
To kill two birds with one stone
To knock someone off one's perch
To rule the roost
To come home to roost
To stick in one's gizzard
To take flight
Watch the birdie
'Who killed Cock Robin'

Albatrosses

To have an albatross around one's neck

Chickens

Bet on a lame rooster
Chicken out of (something)
Chicken!
Chicken-and-egg situation
Chicken in every pot
Chicken feed
Chicken hearted
Chicken skin
Cock and bull story
Cocks may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg
Don't count your chickens
Feeling like a rooster in a hen house
Fits like a stocking on a chicken's lip
Hen party
Is that a chicken joke?
Like a chicken with its head cut off
Like a hen with one chicken
Like a hen-pecked husband
No spring chicken
Mad as a wet hen
Pecking order
The chickens come home to roost
The pecking order
To chicken out of (something)
To count one's chickens before they hatch
To rule the roost
What came first, the chicken or the egg?

Cockerels

A cock and bull story
A cock-eyed scheme
A cock sparrow
Cock-a-hoop
Cock-of-the-walk
Cock sparrow
That cock won't fight
This beats cock-fighting
To be all cock-a-hoop
To cock a snook at
To cock up
To go off at half cock
To live like fighting cocks
To take a cockshot at

Crows

A scarecrow
As the crow flies
Crow's feet
Stone the crows
To crow over
To eat crow
To have a crow with (someone)
To pluck a crow

Cuckoo

A cuckoo in the nest
Cloud cuckoo land
The first cuckoo

Dove

Get 'lovey-dovey'
Lovey-dovey
The dove of peace
To be as gentle as a dove
To flutter the dovecotes
The wings of a dove

Ducks

A box of fluffy ducks
A dead duck
A duck's egg
A duck in a thunderstorm
A lame duck
A sitting duck
An ugly duckling
Biggest duck in the puddle
Break one's duck
Duck in a thunderstorm
Duck out
Duck soup
Ducky
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it must be a duck
It's the duck's gut
Lame duck
Like a duck to water
Like a dying duck
Like a pair of ducks
Like a sitting duck
Like water off a duck's back
To break one's duck
To play ducks and drakes with