Collective nouns describe groups of animals, often reflecting a specific behavior or location. In ornithology, the study of birds, these terms can be precise. The specific word used for a group of birds frequently depends on the age and developmental stage of the individuals, distinguishing between eggs, hatchlings, and fully grown birds.
Collective Nouns for Young Birds
The most common collective noun for a group of baby birds is a brood. This term specifically refers to all young birds hatched at the same time and cared for by the same parent or parents. A brood represents the live, recently hatched offspring actively being raised together within the nest.
This term is distinct from a clutch, which refers to the total number of eggs laid by a female bird during a single nesting period. A clutch represents the potential young, while a brood represents the actual young that have successfully hatched. For certain game birds, the terms are more specialized. A group of young pheasants is sometimes called a nide. A group of young quail or partridges is often referred to as a covey, a term also applied to a small family group of adults.
Understanding the Stages of Development
The application of collective nouns is tied to the biological stages of avian development, primarily the difference between nestlings and fledglings. Nestlings are young birds that have not yet left the nest and remain completely dependent on their parents for warmth and food. These hatchlings are typically sparsely feathered, or bare, and are unable to stand or fly.
For many species, such as songbirds, the young are altricial, meaning they are born blind and helpless, requiring extensive parental care inside the nest. Once a young bird leaves the nest, it enters the fledgling stage, even if it cannot fly proficiently. Fledglings are identifiable by their full feather coverage and their ability to hop, walk, or make short flights.
A fledgling is still reliant on its parents for feeding and protection for a period lasting from a few days to several weeks. This stage allows them to strengthen flight muscles and learn foraging behaviors outside the nest. The collective noun brood most accurately describes the group of young still undergoing the nestling stage.
General Collective Nouns for Adult Birds
When describing groups of mature or mixed-age birds, the terminology becomes broader, often reflecting the specific species or their behavior. The most general term is a flock, used for almost any group of birds flying, feeding, or resting together. Another common term, a flight, is used when the birds are actively moving through the air.
For certain species, highly descriptive terms capture unique group behavior. A dense, swirling mass of starlings is called a murmuration, named for the soft, collective sound their wings make. A group of soaring raptors, such as hawks or vultures, is known as a kettle, describing the circular pattern they make while riding thermal air currents. A gathering of owls is called a parliament, a noun often attributed to the species’ perceived wisdom.