Collective Nouns

Collective Nouns

 

Can you remember learning about a collective noun in your ninth grade English class? Boy, I surly do. Mr. Ellis made certain we could properly diagram, yes, diagram, a sentence containing a collective noun. Well, just in case you have forgotten all you learned about this important part of the English language, this blog will refresh your memory.

A collective noun is a word used to represent a group of people, animals, or things. Examples of collective nouns are herd of cattle, colony of ants, school of fish, or flock of birds to name just a few. I have chosen to illustrate the collective noun flock with sixteen of my bird photographs.

A flock is defined as a number of birds of one kind feeding, resting, and traveling together. Rather than referring to a flock of birds, folks in the bird world have created other names for different birds as you will read in the caption under each photograph.

Click on each photograph to enlarge

A Grain of Sanderling
A Grain of Sanderling
A Posse of Wild Turkey
A Posse of Wild Turkey
A Conspiracy of Black Skimmer
A Conspiracy of Black Skimmer
A Squadron of White Pelican and A Flotilla of Gull
A Squadron of White Pelican and A Flotilla of Gull
A Fling of Willet
A Fling of Willet
A Cloud of Red - winged Blackbird
A Cloud of Red – winged Blackbird
A Cast of Green Jay
A Cast of Green Jay
A Congregation of Great Egret
A Congregation of Great Egret
A Swoop of whooping Crane
A Swoop of Whooping Crane
a Whirligg of Wilsons Phalarope
a Whirligg of Wilsons Phalarope
A Lute of Mallard
A Lute of Mallard
A Merl of Yellow - headed Blackbird
A Merl of Yellow – headed Blackbird
A Bowl of Roseate Spoonbill
A Bowl of Roseate Spoonbill
A Gulp of Neotropical Cormorant
A Gulp of Neotropical Cormorant
A Battery of Great Blue Heron
A Battery of Great Blue Heron
A Ballet of Trumpter Swan
A Ballet of Trumpeter Swan