Birds of a feather flock together, and those flocks go by different names depending on the birds in questions. These terms were developed long, long ago and most of them have fallen out of every day use.
Whether derived from jokes or practical descriptions, the historical names are on record, and some are quite poetic (a Flamboyance of Flamingoes). Some seem to make perfect sense (a Paddling of Ducks), some are amusingly clever (a Gulp of Swallows), and some are simply baffling (a Bew of Partridges).
- Albatross: Rookery
- Auks: Colony, Flock, Raft
- Birds (Chicks): Brood, Clutch
- Birds (Flight): Flight
- Birds (Game): Volary, Brace, Plump, Knob
- Birds (Ground): Flock, Dissimulation
- Birds (Sea): Wreck
- Bitterns: Sedge, Seige
- Bobolinks: Chain
- Bullfinches: Bellowing
- Buzzards: Wake
- Capons: Mews
- Chickens (General): Brood, Peep
- Chickens (Chicks): Clutch, Chattering
- Choughs: Clattering
- Coots: Cover, Raft
- Cormorants: Gulp
- Crows: Murder, Horde, Parcel, Storytelling
- Curlews: Herd
- Dotterel: Trip
- Doves (General): Dule, Bevy, Cote, Dole, Paddling
- Doves (Turtle): Pitying, Piteousness
- Ducks (Flight): Flock
- Ducks (Ground): Brace, Badling
- Ducks (Water): Raft, Team, Paddling
- Dunlins: Fling
- Eagles: Convocation, Aerie
- Emus: Mob
- Falcons: Cast
- Finches: Charm
- Flamingoes: Stand, Flamboyance
- Geese (Flight): Skein
- Geese (General): Flock
- Geese (Ground): Gaggle, Herd, Corps
- Goldfinches: Charm
- Goshawks: Flight
- Grouse: Pack (in late season), Covey
- Guillemots: Bazaar
- Guinea Fowl: Confusion
- Gulls: Colony, Screech
- Hawks (Flight): Kettle
- Hawks (General): Cast
- Hawks (two or more spiraling in flight): Boil
- Herons: Sedge, Siege, Hedge
- Hummingbirds: Charm
- Jays: Party, Scold, Band
- Lapwings: Deceit
- Larks: Exaltation, Ascension
- Magpies: Tiding, Gulp, Murder, Charm
- Mallards (Flight): Sord
- Mallards (General): Brace
- Mudhens: Fleet
- Nightingales: Watch
- Owls: Parliament, Stare
- Parrots: Company, Pandemonium
- Partridge: Covey, Bew
- Peacocks: Muster, Ostentation, Pride
- Pelicans: Pod
- Penguins (General): Colony, Rookery, Huddle, Parcel
- Penguins (Nursery): Creche
- Pheasants (Brood): Nide
- Pheasants (General): Nest, Nye
- Pheasants (upon take-off): Bouquet
- Pigeons: Flight, Flock, Kit
- Plovers (Flight): Wing
- Plovers (General): Congregation
- Ptarmigans: Covey
- Quail: Bevy, Covey
- Ravens: Unkindness, Storytelling
- Rooks: Building, Clamor, Parliament
- Ruffs: Hill
- Sandpipers: Fling
- Seabirds: Wreck
- Sheldrakes: Doading
- Skylarks: Exultation
- Snipe: Walk, Wisp
- Sparrows: Host
- Starlings: Murmuration, Chattering
- Storks: Mustering, Muster
- Swallows: Flight, Gulp
- Swans (Flight): Wedge, Flight
- Swans (General): Bevy, Bank, Herd
- Swifts: Flock
- Teal: Spring
- Thrush: Mutation
- Turkeys: Rafter, Gang, Posse
- Turtle Doves: Pitying, Dule
- Vultures: Venue
- Vultures (Circling): Kettle
- Waterfowl: Knob, Plump
- Widgeons: Company
- Wildfowl: Plump
- Woodcocks: Fall
- Woodpeckers: Descent
- Wrens: Herd