HIT: Vultures

[Diane H Albosta <dalbosta@OSF1.GMU.EDU>]

Thanks to all who responded regarding my question on the collective name
for a group of vultures.  Here is a sampling of the answers:


An Exaltation of Larks, by James Lipton (Viking, 1991 ISBN 0-670-30044-6)
calls a group of vultures "a wake of vultures".  Some of the terms listed
in this book have been coined by the author while others are based on old
sources.  The author calls them "terms of venery" (as in hunting - not
sins.)

The World Almanac has "A collection of animal collectives".  Random House
Word Menu, by Stephen Glazier has animal groups. The Trivia Encyclopedia,
by Fred L. Worth also has an extensive list of animal groups.

There is an Internet site for Group Names of Birds at:
http://www.bcpl.lib.md.us/~tross/gnlist.html

I don't have the website bookmarked, but I helped some students complete a
project. Type "collective nouns" in a search engine.  One site had
hundreds and hundreds of groups of animals and things.

The handiest place I have found to find some of these is the World
Almanac. (I think under Nouns, Collective). Not complete, but a good
starting place. Ruth Heller's book A Cache of Jewels is useful too.

I was unable to find the "group of vultures" term, but I can tell you that
in my wonderful reference book called: The Order of Things: How Everything
in the World is Organized...into Hierarchies, Structures and Pecking
Orders, c1997, Random, they call them simply "animal groups." They list
some popular ones, but not vultures. Sorry.

My staff is equally divided on this issue.  Some say the group is called
"politicians" while others insist it is called "administrators."

They are called collectives.  Check out the Almanac under Animals in the
Index for the most commonly used ones.

These groups are "collective nouns" and a list can be found in an Almanac
under animals. Vultures was not on the list.  I checked another source
(Guiness Book of Answers) as their list in more inclusive.  No vultures
there either.  Closest would be hawks and falcon which are a "cast" or
eagles, "convocation".

Again, many thanks!

Diane H. Albosta, Director
David H. March Library
Episcopal High School
Alexandria, Virginia
dalbosta@gmu.edu

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
To quit LM_NET (or set NOMAIL or DIGEST), Send an email message to
    listserv@listserv.syr.edu    In the message write EITHER:
 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
  * NOTE: Please allow time for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=