Animals That Start with U: 100+ Names and Easy Facts

Can you name five animals that start with U? The letter U gives us some unusual animal names, including uakari, urial, umbrellabird, uromastyx, and unicornfish.

Some of these animals are mammals, while others are birds, reptiles, fish, insects, or marine animals. This collection brings together common and less familiar animal names beginning with U so you can learn their spelling, meaning, and animal group.

How to Use This Animal List

Start with the common animals and read their short descriptions. Pay attention to the spelling of each U animal name and notice whether it is a mammal, bird, reptile, fish, or another type of animal.

After that, use the category lists to build your vocabulary. You can also choose five names each day and practise saying, spelling, and writing them.

Common Animals That Start with the Letter U

Several well-known and interesting animals start with the letter U. Here are some of the most useful names to recognise and remember.

Uakari

The uakari is a monkey found in the Amazon rainforest of South America. Some species are easily recognised by their short tails and bright red faces. Uakaris spend much of their time in trees. They mainly eat fruit, seeds, leaves, and small animals.

Uganda Kob

The Uganda kob is a type of antelope found in parts of East Africa. Males usually have curved horns, while females do not. These animals live mainly in grasslands and areas near water. They feed mostly on grasses.

Uguisu

The uguisu is a small bird native to Japan and other parts of East Asia. It is also called the Japanese bush warbler. The bird is better known for its clear song than for its appearance. It usually has brownish or olive-coloured feathers.

Uinta Ground Squirrel

The Uinta ground squirrel lives in parts of the western United States. It spends much of its life on or below the ground. It eats grasses, seeds, leaves, and other plant material. During colder months, it spends a long period underground.

Umbrellabird

The umbrellabird is a tropical bird found in Central and South America. It gets its name from the large crest of feathers that hangs over its head like an umbrella. Males are especially noticeable because of their unusual appearance. Umbrellabirds mainly eat fruit and some small animals.

Upland Sandpiper

The upland sandpiper is a long-legged bird found mainly in grasslands. Unlike many other sandpipers, it often lives far from beaches and muddy shorelines. It eats insects and other small creatures. It breeds in North America and migrates to South America.

Ural Owl

The Ural owl is a large woodland owl found across parts of Europe and Asia. It has a rounded head, a long tail, and dark eyes. This owl mainly hunts small mammals and birds. It is most active during the evening and night.

Urial

The urial is a wild sheep found in mountainous and dry areas of Central and South Asia. Males have large, curved horns. Urials usually live in groups and feed on grasses and other plants. They are adapted to rocky and open habitats.

Uromastyx

Uromastyx is the common name for a group of spiny-tailed lizards. They live in hot, dry regions of Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. Their thick tails are covered with strong scales. Most uromastyx lizards eat mainly plants.

Urutu

The urutu is a venomous pit viper found in parts of South America. It has a thick body with dark markings that help it blend into the ground. The snake feeds on small mammals and other animals. It should never be approached or handled in the wild.

Uaru

Uaru is a group of freshwater cichlid fish from South America. These fish are native to the Amazon and nearby river systems. They have deep, flattened bodies and are sometimes kept in large aquariums. Their diet includes plant material and other available food.

Unicornfish

Unicornfish are tropical marine fish related to surgeonfish. Some species have a horn-like growth on the front of the head, which explains their name. They usually live around coral reefs in warm oceans. Many feed mainly on algae.

Upside-down Catfish

The upside-down catfish is known for swimming with its belly facing upward. It comes from freshwater habitats in Africa. This unusual swimming position helps it feed from the underside of leaves, branches, and other surfaces. It is also kept as an aquarium fish.

Ulysses Butterfly

The Ulysses butterfly is a large butterfly found in Australia and nearby tropical regions. Males are famous for their bright blue wings edged with black. The butterfly is active during the day and often flies through forests and gardens. Its caterpillars feed on particular host plants.

Ussuri Brown Bear

The Ussuri brown bear is a large brown bear associated with northeastern Asia. It occurs in regions including parts of Russia, China, and Japan. Its diet can include plants, berries, fish, insects, and mammals. Like other brown bears, it is powerful and highly adaptable.

Mammal Names Beginning with U

• Uakari
• Uganda Kob
• Ugandan Red Colobus
• Udzungwa Elephant Shrew
• Udzungwa Red Colobus
• Uinta Chipmunk
• Uinta Ground Squirrel
• Unadorned Rock-wallaby
• Unau
• Underwood’s Bonneted Bat
• Underwood’s Long-tongued Bat
• Underwood’s Pocket Gopher
• Ungava Collared Lemming
• Unstriped Ground Squirrel
• Ural Field Mouse
• Urial
• Ursine Colobus
• Ussuri Brown Bear
• Ussuri Tube-nosed Bat
• Ussuri White-toothed Shrew
• Utah Prairie Dog

Bird Names Starting with U

• Udzungwa Forest Partridge
• Uhehe Fiscal
• Uguisu
• Uluguru Bushshrike
• Uluguru Mountain Greenbul
• Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird
• Ultramarine Flycatcher
• Ultramarine Grosbeak
• Ultramarine Kingfisher
• Ultramarine Lorikeet
• Umbrellabird
• Unadorned Flycatcher
• Unicolored Antwren
• Unicolored Blackbird
• Unicolored Jay
• Unicolored Tapaculo
• Unicolored Thrush
• Undulated Antpitta
• Undulated Tinamou
• Uniform Antshrike
• Uniform Crake
• Uniform Finch
• Uniform Swiftlet
• Uniform Treehunter
• Uniform Woodcreeper
• Unspotted Saw-whet Owl
• Unstreaked Tit-tyrant
• Upcher’s Warbler
• Upland Buzzard
• Upland Goose
• Upland Sandpiper
• Ural Owl
• Urich’s Tyrannulet
• Usambara Akalat
• Usambara Eagle-owl
• Usambara Hyliota
• Usambara Thrush
• Usambara Weaver
• Uvea Parakeet

Reptiles and Amphibians Beginning with U

• Uganda Clawed Frog
• Uluguru Forest Treefrog
• Union Island Gecko
• Upland Burrowing Treefrog
• Upland Chorus Frog
• Uromastyx
• Urutu
• Usambara Reed Frog
• Usambara Torrent Frog
• Usambara Three-horned Chameleon
• Utah Mountain Kingsnake
• Utila Spiny-tailed Iguana

Fish and Aquatic Animals That Begin with U

• Uaru
• Ukrainian Brook Lamprey
• Umatilla Dace
• Umbrella Cichlid
• Umpqua Chub
• Unarmored Threespine Stickleback
• Unicorn Crestfish
• Unicorn Icefish
• Unicorn Leatherjacket
• Unicornfish
• Upland Bully
• Upside-down Catfish

Insects and Invertebrate Names with U

• Uhler’s Arctic
• Uloborid Spider
• Ulysses Butterfly
• Umber Skipper
• Umbrella Jellyfish
• Umbrella Octopus
• Umbrella Slug
• Underwing Moth
• Unicorn Caterpillar
• Urania Moth
• Urechis Spoon Worm
• Urchin

Extinct Animals Beginning with U

• Uberabatitan
• Udanoceratops
• Uintatherium
• Umoonasaurus
• Unaysaurus
• Unenlagia
• Unescoceratops
• Unquillosaurus
• Urbacodon
• Utahceratops
• Utahraptor
• Utatsusaurus
• Uteodon

FAQs

Conclusion

Animals that start with “U” include mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects, marine animals, and extinct species. Familiar examples include uakari, urial, umbrellabird, Ural owl, uromastyx, unicornfish, and Ulysses butterfly.

Learning animal names starting with U can build spelling, pronunciation, and general English vocabulary while introducing many less familiar animals from around the world.