My Science School

Flamingos are an iconic breed of bird, recognised by most people the world over, but actually seen in the flesh by far fewer, due to the locations of their habitats. There are in fact six species of flamingo, all of which are extremely gregarious and social birds, often gathering closely together in vast numbers. There are a number of self explanatory collective nouns frequently used to identify groups of flamingos.

Probably the most common and descriptive collective nouns for a group of flamingos are a ‘flamboyance’, ‘colony’ or ‘stand’, with flamboyance tending to be the most popular. Originating from the adjective flamboyant, an old French word originally meaning flame, it is frequently used in English to mean, stylish, colourful, bright, dazzling and flashy; words that epitomise our view of the magnificent flamingo. Interestingly the word flamingo comes from the Latin word ‘flamma’ which also means flame or fire.

The collective noun ‘colony of flamingos’ is often used to describe a group of flamingos as the chosen habitats of these birds are frequently rejected by other species and animals as being hostile environments due to extremely high concentrations of salt. The flamingos therefore move in to the region and colonise the area for themselves thus, by definition, forming a colony.

A ‘stand of flamingos’ almost certainly originated from observing their habit of standing motionless and resting for long periods, often on one leg, an extraordinary sight when viewed in large groups.

Credit : Bird Fact

Picture Credit : Google

A “kat” is not a “cat” when it’s a meerkat, a vital, clever, and amazing weasel-like animal that is a member of the mongoose family. Most people know meerkats from the character Timon in The Lion King animated movie. However, instead of spending all their time with a warthog, most meerkats live in underground burrows in large groups of up to 40 individuals called a gang or a mob. For meerkats, there isn’t just safety in numbers—there’s also companionship. The mob is made up of several family groups, with one dominant pair that produces most of the offspring, but they don’t have to be related to belong to the same group. Meerkat mobs spend a lot of their time grooming and playing together to keep the family as a tight unit. This community existence helps the meerkats survive.

Meerkats have scent pouches below their tails and rub these pouches on rocks and plants to mark their territory. The territories of different groups often overlap, resulting in constant disputes. When the two groups meet for a face-off, the results can be tragic. Meerkats are vicious fighters that often kill each other in these skirmishes. Knowing the high cost of an all-out war, they try to avoid serious conflict if possible. Usually, a lot of aggressive posturing and bluffing precedes any physical contact. These wars can look a bit like the human battles of yesteryear: both sides line up across a field and, at the right moment, charge forward with leaps and bounds, holding their tail rigid and straight up in the air. Every third or fourth leap, they arch their back and thrust their rear legs backward like a bucking bronco. Whichever side has the most threatening display in their charge may “psych out” the opponents. Yet meerkats groups have been known to accept outside individuals into their mob, and they sometimes share their burrows with yellow mongooses.

Credit : San Diego Zoo

Picture Credit : Google

While a herd broadly describes a large group of animals that lives together, it refers more specifically to animals with hooves. These animals include zebra, springbok, Cape buffalo, impala, and many more.

Rhinos are in fact odd-toed hoofed mammals with three toes on each foot. This refers to animals with one or three toes on each foot. Similarly, there are even-toed hoofed mammals who have two or four toes on each foot.

The hooves on a mammal’s feet allow it to run faster. Also, most hoofed animals are plant-eaters found in open habitats such as grasslands.

Along with crash, another unique collective noun for a rhino is a stubbornness. While the term crash certainly is the most fitting, the adjective stubborn is not far off the mark either.

Rhinos are often described as being stubborn creatures as they are not always willing to cooperate. The same goes for elephants, but the rhinoceros still takes the cake.

Often they do not agree that elephants are the top mammal in the pecking order at the waterhole. As such, rhinos and elephants often get into fights as one will not make room for the other.

Rhinos are not the most social creatures. They aren’t too fond of hanging out with other animals, however, they have a few bird friends like the yellow-billed oxpecker. Also known as “tick birds”, oxpeckers eat away all the ticks that bother the rhino and are often seen riding on the large animal’s back.

Credit : Africa Freak

Picture Credit : Google

They congregate in large numbers, with groups of walrus called “herds”. Herds are usually segregated by gender, with females and males, each having their own herd. The walrus' other characteristic features are equally useful. As their favorite meals, particularly shellfish, are found near the dark ocean floor, walruses use their extremely sensitive whiskers, called mustacial vibrissae, as detection devices. Their blubbery bodies allow them to live comfortably in the Arctic region—walruses are capable of slowing their heartbeats in order to withstand the polar temperatures of the surrounding waters.

The two subspecies of walrus are divided geographically. Atlantic walruses inhabit coastal areas from northeastern Canada to Greenland, while Pacific walruses inhabit the northern seas off Russia and Alaska, migrating seasonally from their southern range in the Bering Sea—where they are found on the pack ice in winter—to the Chukchi Sea. Female Pacific walruses give birth to calves during the spring migration north. Only Native Americans are currently allowed to hunt walruses, as the species' survival was threatened by past overhunting. Their tusks, oil, skin, and meat were so sought after in the 18th and 19th centuries that the walrus was hunted to extinction in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and around Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Credit : National Geographic

Picture Credit : Google

A group of crows is called a “murder.” There are several different explanations for the origin of this term, mostly based on old folk tales and superstitions.

For instance, there is a folktale that crows will gather and decide the capital fate of another crow.

Many view the appearance of crows as an omen of death because ravens and crows are scavengers and are generally associated with dead bodies, battlefields, and cemeteries, and they’re thought to circle in large numbers above sites where animals or people are expected to soon die.

But the term “murder of crows” mostly reflects a time when groupings of many animals had colorful and poetic names. Other fun examples of “group” names include: an ostentation of peacocks, a parliament of owls, a knot frogs, and a skulk of foxes.

Crows are very social and have a tight-knit family. They roost in huge numbers (in the thousands) to protect themselves from enemies like red-tailed hawks, horned-owls, and raccoons. Crows also use at least 250 different calls. The distress call brings other crows to their aid, as crows will defend unrelated crows. Crows mate for life.

Credit : Nature 

Picture Credit : Google

Leopard geckos are nocturnal, terrestrial geckos, native to Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and western India. Capable but small, these 8-inch-long predators will stalk, capture and consume virtually any creature they can overpower. While insect and other invertebrates form the bulk of their diet, they will readily prey on nestling rodents or lizards -- including hatchling leopard geckos.

Unlike some other geckos that thrive on prepared diets, pet leopard geckos require live insects. Leopard geckos will not eat fruits or vegetables of any kind. In captivity, leopard geckos thrive on a varied diet of commercially available insects: crickets, mealworms, superworms and roaches are excellent dietary staples. Whatever feeder insects you choose, feed them a high-quality diet of fruits, vegetables and grains for at least 24 hours before offering them to your lizard. Refrain from offering your leopard gecko pinky mice, which may cause nutritional problems, or lizards that may transmit parasites or disease to your pet.

Credit : Pets on Mom.com

Picture Credit : Google