Group Names - Odd One Out! Trivia Quiz

Answer: box

Pheasants are colourful birds, originally introduced into Western Europe for game shooting. Nowadays huge numbers are bred for shooting, and considerable sums are spent by those taking part in such shoots. Some varieties such as the golden pheasant and Lady Amherst's pheasant are often kept for their colourful plumage. "Box" is not a group name for these colourful birds.

Answer: welter

There are a variety of whales, many of which are under threat of extinction due to hunting. They range from dolphin sized to the enormous blue whale which can weigh well over 100 tonnes, making it the largest known creature to have lived on Earth! Sadly this giant is one of those most under risk of extinction! There are two basic whale types - the toothed and the baleen. Toothed whales are those such as the orca or "killer whale", and baleen whales have brush like filters instead of teeth which allow them to feed on huge shoals of sea creatures such as krill. No whales though live or travel in "welters"!

Answer: dredge

Herons are distributed throughout most of the world, probably the most widespread being the grey heron, which often lives in close proximity to large towns. It can be a nuisance to people who own fishponds where it can clean up completely if allowed to! You won't see a group of herons in a "dredge" though!

Answer: shining

Some jellyfish may shine with phosphorescence, but a group of them is definitely not a "shining". Certain species such as the box jellyfish can be deadly. Others give a very nasty sting, causing quite serious wounds. Some turtles don't mind the stings though - they eat jellyfish, tentacles and all!

Answer: hat

I'm not sure what the origins of "boil" and "kettle" are, but they are correct. You can't have a "hat" of hawks though unless you go in for very unusual headwear! Hawks have long been used by men for hunting, and are highly prized - especially in Arab countries where a good trained hawk is worth a great deal of money.

The goshawk is one of the best known hawks bred for hunting, but there are many others.

Answer: backlash

Foxes have long been hunted for sport throughout Northern Europe, but manage to survive quite well - which says much for their intelligence and ability to cope with changing environments. The "urban fox" is considered a pest in some areas, getting its living from rubbish bins and gardens.
Personally, I like them - we live in the countryside and often have beautiful foxes in the garden, occasionally vixens with cubs. There may sometimes be a "backlash" against them, but its not a collective word for a group of foxes.

Answer: tone

One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, and four for a boy.
Five for silver, six for gold, and seven for a secret never to be told.
That's how the old nursery rhyme goes, so be careful when you see a group of magpies! They are intelligent and beautiful birds with striking black & white plumage (Asian & European varieties). The black has a beautiful dark mauve sheen in sunlight, but this "tone" cannot be applied to the group name!

Answer: creche

Parrots are amongst the world's most colourful birds - which is rather unfortunate for them as it makes them highly desirable by collectors and pet owners. Large numbers of wild parrots are trapped for the illegal pet trade, but few survive the trauma of capture and transport. In captivity they can live as long as us, so consider this carefully if you ever fancy getting a parrot for a pet!
There's no such thing as a creche of parrots though.

Answer: wedge

These are the group names for the Asian & African buffalo, not the American bison. Wild buffalo are extremely dangerous and unpredictable so should be given a very wide berth indeed. The only predators which routinely take them on are lions and crocodiles, and then usually only the weakest are selected.
They are not uncommon in parts of northern Australia where they were introduced by Asian settlers.
"Wedge" could be a good name for a group of buffalo - but it isn't!

Answer: whole

Another animal on the endangered list due to its desirable shell, and destruction of its breeding habitat (beaches) for the tourism industry. Turtles were around long before the large dinosaurs, but the desire for trinkets made from their shells may finally finish them off. They also get caught in fish nets and drown, and both they and their eggs are eaten by man.

Answer: ruin

Arguably the most colourful members of the insect family, butterflies exist throughout the tropical and temperate regions of the world. Some are highly specialized feeders, and are in danger due to habitat destruction. Their offspring though, i.e. caterpillars can be a scourge, devastating crops in poor countries. They can "ruin" some crops but it's the wrong word for a group of them.

Answer: sacking

Their thick blubber protects them against the Arctic cold. Apart from man, their main enemies are polar bears and killer whales. Their long tusks are used to dig out shellfish - and by the males during breeding season for combat. The art of scrimshaw is carried out on walrus teeth, and some old and well carved items have become very valuable.
An "ugly" is one of their group names, but I'm sure they think we're pretty ugly too!

Answer: blinding

Moles may be blind, but that has nothing to do with their group name! Labour & movement suit them well as they, for their size, are enormously powerful. Although molehills can be unsightly in gardens, they provide a useful function elsewhere by re-distributing the soil, and helping drainage.

Answer: trap

Coots are perky little water birds, jet black with pure white bills. They are intensely protective of their chicks, and feed them constantly. They are quite happy with human proximity, and are in no danger of extinction. They lay large eggs which are out of proportion with their size - almost to the point of impossible, but it seems to work for them!

Answer: collection

Some animals come in a "collection", but not antelopes I'm afraid. They come in a variety of sizes from the small dik-dik to the eland - which is the world's largest antelope.

Answer: blade

There are many varieties of storks found in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa & the Americas. Some make lengthy migrations to and from their breeding areas. They are very striking tall birds, and some such as the painted stork found in South East Asia are very colourful. In some areas, they routinely nest on rooftops, chimneys, and towers - and even on electricity and telephone poles. Having a stork's nest on your roof is believed by some to bring good luck!
Though their long bill may resemble a blade, it's the wrong word for a group of storks.

Answer: catastrophe

Baboons are intelligent, and live in large family groups under the command of a dominant male. They are a favourite prey of leopards, from whom the whole troop will retreat, but against cheetahs they are aggressive and will chase them off their catches. Who could refer to these clever animals as a "catastrophe"?

Answer: convent

Ancestors of these animals lived alongside the dinosaurs - and no doubt preyed on them too. They have hardly changed in form or nature ever since. Crocodiles are virtually immune to disease. They usually kill their prey by dragging it under water and drowning it. Females are excellent mothers guarding their eggs in the nest, and protecting their young by carrying them in their mouth.

These jaws can exert enormous pressures, easily biting off limbs, but are very tender while picking up their offspring! The eggs will develop into either males or females dependent on the incubation temperature. Crocodiles are social reptiles, but their group name isn't "convent".

Answer: balloon

These animals are reckoned to account for more human deaths than any other African mammal. Whilst ashore if anyone gets between them and the water they are quite likely to charge without warning. They often live alongside crocodiles, but even the adult crocs show respect to hippos and their offspring - though they will eat dead ones.

Some years ago I visited Tunis Zoo, where the Hippo keeper - a small old Arab - was so familiar and proud of his charges that he could climb into the open mouth of the biggest one - which was a monster! They might look like huge balloons, but that isn't their collective name.

Answer: dungeon

'Dungeons and Dragons' is a well known game, but dungeon isn't a name for a group of dragons - not that you're likely to see one dragon, never mind a group of them! They are so common in legend that I believe the legends must have a factual basis. Possibly this may be due to our early ancestors finding dinosaur skeletons, skulls and teeth!
St. George the Patron Saint of Germany, Palestine and England is famed for killing a dragon, but I doubt that he really did!