Talking about Animals: English Vocabulary List

a hole that an animal digs in the ground to use as a shelter

"Rabbit's burrow in ground."

"The small creature quickly retreated into its well-hidden burrow to escape the approaching predator."

a marine mammal that belongs to the group known as Cetacea, which comprises whales, dolphins, and porpoises

"The whale is a huge cetacean that lives deep in the ocean."

"A cetacean is a marine mammal of the order that includes whales"

all the young of a bird hatched at the same time, or the young of an animal cared for together

"The hen sat on her brood."

"The mother hen protected her brood of chicks by keeping them under her wings whenever she sensed any danger from predators nearby."

an animal that eats both plant and animal matter

"A bear is an omnivore that eats both plants and meat."

"Bears are omnivores because they eat both plants like berries and roots and animals like fish and small mammals depending on what is available."

a long, pointed tooth found in carnivorous animals, used for biting, gripping, and tearing flesh

"The snake sank its sharp fang into the leg of the mouse."

"The venomous snake used its long hollow fangs to inject poison into the small mouse before swallowing it whole."

any of the sharp curved organs of an arthropod or insect, such as a crab, lobster, etc.

"The crab's pincer is sharp."

"The crab used its strong pincer to crack open the shell of a small clam and eat the soft meat inside."

the skin of an animal with the fur, wool, or hair still covering it

"The hunter sold the soft animal pelt at the market for cash."

"She wore a beautiful coat made from the pelt of a silver fox during the winter festival."

a large number of fish swimming together

"A huge shoal of fish swam together near the coral reef."

"Dolphins were seen playfully chasing a large shoal of sardines along the shoreline."

the animals of a particular geological period or region

"The island has unique fauna found nowhere else."

"The island has a unique fauna that includes several species of birds and reptiles found nowhere else on Earth because of its long isolation from the mainland."

relating to or denoting animals that regulate their body temperature by external sources, such as the surrounding environment

"Lizards are ectothermic."

"Snakes are ectothermic reptiles so they need to bask in the sun to raise their body temperature and become active."

(of an animal) generating and regulating their own body heat internally

"Birds are endothermic."

"Birds are endothermic animals which means they can generate their own body heat and maintain a constant temperature regardless of their surroundings."

having characteristics, appearance, or behavior similar to a horse

"She has an equine face."

"The equine therapy program used horses to help children with disabilities improve their balance coordination and emotional well being through riding sessions."

producing eggs that develop and hatch outside the body

"Chickens are oviparous."

"Chickens are oviparous animals because they lay eggs that hatch outside of the mother's body after being incubated for about three weeks."

(of animals) adapted to or living high in trees, rather than on the ground

"Monkeys are arboreal."

"Squirrels are arboreal creatures that spend most of their lives in trees building nests and searching for nuts and seeds to eat."

feeding primarily on fish

"This bird is piscivorous."

"The piscivorous osprey dives into the water to catch fish with its sharp talons and then carries the prey back to its nest."

of or relating to monkeys or apes

"He has simian features."

"The simian features of the chimpanzee including its opposable thumbs and forward facing eyes are very similar to those of human beings."

brought from a wild state under human control or accustomed to humans

"The deer is very tame."

"The tame deer ate apples directly from the children's hands because it had been raised by humans and was not afraid of people."

relating to or characteristic of cows or cattle

"The cow has a bovine face."

"The farmer treated a bovine illness in one of his cows and called the veterinarian to examine the sick animal immediately."

relating to or characteristic of birds

"The avian flu is dangerous."

"The avian flu virus spread quickly through the chicken farm and the owners had to cull thousands of birds to stop the infection."

(of animals or organisms) primarily active during the night

"Bats are nocturnal."

"Bats are nocturnal mammals that sleep during the day in caves or trees and come out at night to hunt for insects to eat."

feeding on or adapted to a diet that consists primarily or exclusively of insects

"The shrew is insectivorous."

"The insectivorous bat eats thousands of mosquitoes every night which helps control the insect population and reduces the spread of diseases like malaria."

to blend in with the surroundings to avoid being seen or detected

"The frog camouflaged itself well."

"The soldiers used leaves and mud to camouflage their vehicles and hide from enemy aircraft."