difference between swarm, flock and herd

[anand]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #89 "Common Quantity Nouns", question 6

A swarm of ......... gathered around the swamp.

(a) sheep
(b) birds
(c) insects
(d) cows

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #89 "Common Quantity Nouns", answer 6

A swarm of insects gathered around the swamp.

Correct answer: (c) insects
_________________________

What is the difference between swarm, flock and herd?
As all of them has same dictionary meaning.

anand

[Conchita]

A herd is a group of large animals, for example domestic animals like cattle or pigs.

A flock is a group of similar animals together, especially sheep, goats and birds.

A swarm is a large group of insects, etc., flying about together.

[Huonglinh]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

[AmyChang]

Excuse me,
Why birds is similar sheep and goats?
I don't understand.
Please tell me,
Thank you very much.

[OxfordBlues]

The answers above are close but not correct.

Every animal in English has a word for the single animal and what a group of that animal is called.

Here is a list of many of them:

Animal
Group Name

Albatross
Rookery

Alligators
Congregation

Apes
Shrewdness

Antelope
Herd

Ants
Colony

Asses (Donkeys)
Drove

Baboons
Troop

Bacteria
Culture

Badgers
Company

Barracudas
Battery

Bats
Cloud

Bass
Shoal

Bears (General)
Sloth, Sleuth

Bears (Cubs)
Litter

Beavers
Family

Bees
Hive, Swarm

Birds (Chicks)
Brood, Clutch

Birds (Flight)
Flight

Birds (Game)
Volary, Brace, Plump, Knob

Birds (Ground)
Flock, Dissimulation

Birds (Sea)
Wreck

Bison
Herd

Bitterns
Sedge, Seige

Bloodhounds
Sute

Buffalo
Herd

Bullfinches
Bellowing

Butterflies
Flutter

Buzzards
Wake

Camels
Caravan, Flock

Capons
Mews

Caribou
Herd

Caterpillars
Army

Cats (General)
Clutter

Cats (Kittens)
Kindle, Litter

Cats (Wild)
Destruction

Cattle
Drove, Herd, Team

Cheetahs
Coalition

Chickens (General)
Brood

Chickens (Chicks)
Chattering

Chinchilla
Colony

Clams
Bed

Cobras
Quiver

Cockroaches
Intrusion

Cod
Lap

Cows
Kine

Coyotes
Band

Crabs
Cast

Cranes
Sedge, Seige

Crocodiles
Bask, Float

Crows
Murder

Deer (General)
Herd

Deer (Buck)
Brace

Deer (Roe)
Bevy

Dogs (General)
Kennel

Dogs (Curs)
Cowardice

Dogs (Hounds)
Cry

Dogs (Puppies)
Litter

Dogs (Wild)
Pack

Dolphins
Pod

Donkeys
Drove

Doves (General)
Dule, Dole

Doves (Turtle)
Pitying

Ducks (Flight)
Flock

Ducks (Ground)
Brace

Ducks (Water)
Raft

Eagles
Convocation

Eels
Swarm

Elephants
Memory

Elk
Gang, Herd

Emus
Mob

Falcons
Cast

Ferrets
Business

Finches
Charm

Fish (General)
School

Fish (Caught)
Catch

Flamingoes
Flamboyance

Flies
Swarm

Frogs
Knot

Fox
Skulk

Geese (General)
Flock

Geese (Flight)
Skein

Geese (Ground)
Gaggle

Giraffes
Tower

Gnats
Swarm

Gnus
Implausibility

Goats
Tribe

Goldfinches
Charm

Goldfish
Glint, Troubling

Gorillas
Band

Grasshoppers
Cloud

Greyhounds
Leash

Grouse
Covey

Gulls
Screech

Guinea Fowl
Confusion

Hawks (General)
Cast

Hawks (Flight)
Kettle

Hawks (Spiraling)
Boil

Hedgehogs
Array

Herons
Hedge

Herring
Shoal

Hippopotamuses
Bloat

Hornets
Nest

Horses (General)
Team

Horses (Colts)
Rake

Horses (Ponies)
String

Horses (Wild)
Herd

Hummingbirds
Charm

Hyenas
Cackle

Impalas
Herd

Insects
Swarm

Jays (type of bird)
Scold

Jellyfish
Smack

Kangaroos
Mob

Larks
Exaltation

Leopards
Leap

Lice
Flock

Lions
Pride

Lizards
Lounge

Locusts
Plague

Magpies
Tiding

Mallards (General)
Brace

Mallards (Flight)
Sord

Martens
Richness

Mice
Mischief

Midges
Bite

Minnows
Steam

Moles
Labor

Monkeys
Barrel

Moose
Herd

Mosquitoes
Scourge

Mudhens
Fleet

Mules
Pack

Nightingales
Watch

Otters
Bevy

Owls
Parliament

Oxen
Yoke

Oysters
Bed

Parrots
Pandemonium

Partridge
Covey

Peacocks
Ostentation

Pelicans
Pod

Penguins (General)
Rookery

Penguins (Nursery)
Crèche

Pheasants (General)
Nye

Pheasants (Brood)
Nide

Pheasants (Take-Off)
Bouquet

Pigeons
Flock

Pigs (General)
Drift, Drove

Pigs (Boars)
Singular

Pigs (Hogs)
Passel, Parcel

Pigs (Piglets)
Farrow

Pigs (Swine)
Sounder

Polecats
Chine

Porcupines
Prickle

Porpoises
Pod

Prairie Dogs
Coterie

Quail
Bevy, Covey

Rabbits (General)
Warren

Rabbits (Domestic)
Herd

Rabbits (Hares)
Down

Rabbits (Jackrabbit)
Husk

Rabbits (Young)
Litter, Nest

Raccoons
Gaze

Rats
Plague, Swarm

Rattlesnakes
Rhumba

Ravens
Unkindness

Reindeer
Herd

Rhinoceroses
Crash

Salmon
Run

Sandpipers
Fling

Sardines
Family

Scorpions
Nest

Seabirds
Wreck

Seals
Harem, Herd

Sharks
Shiver

Sheep
Flock

Snails
Escargatoire, Rout

Snakes
Den, Pit

Sparrows
Host

Spiders
Cluster, Clutter

Squirrels
Dray, Scurry

Starlings
Murmuration

Stingrays
Fever

Storks
Mustering, Muster

Swallows
Gulp

Swans (General)
Bevy

Swans (Flight)
Wedge

Teal
Spring

Termites
Colony, Swarm

Thrush
Mutation

Tigers
Streak, Ambush

Toads
Knot

Trout
Hover

Turkeys
Posse

Turtles
Turn

Turtle Doves
Pitying

Vipers
Generation, Nest

Vultures
Venue

Vultures (Circling)
Kettle

Walruses
Herd

Wasps
Nest, Swarm

Waterfowl
Knob, Plump

Weasles
Gang, Pack

Whales
Gam

Wolves (General)
Pack

Wolves (Moving)
Route

Wombats
Wisdom

Woodcocks
Fall

Woodpeckers
Descent

Worms
Bed

Wrens
Herd

Zebras
Zeal, Herd
_________________
There's no such thing as an exception to the rule...

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[AmyChang]

Thank you very much. :D