Animals That Start with H: 100+ Animal Names, Facts, and Pictures

Finding animal names for every letter can be difficult, especially for less common letters such as H. Animals That Start with H include names from many groups, such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and marine animals.

Common H-animal names include horse, hamster, hare, hawk, hedgehog, hippopotamus, and hyena. Other names are less familiar, such as hartebeest, hoatzin, hellbender, huchen, and horseshoe crab. The sections below organize these names by common use and animal groups and types, with short facts and pictures.

Common Animals That Start with H

The most familiar animals that start with H are mostly mammals and birds. These names are common in everyday English, children’s books, school materials, wildlife articles, and general animal vocabulary.

Hamster

Hamsters are small rodents with rounded bodies and short tails. Many species store food inside expandable cheek pouches.

Hare

Hares resemble rabbits but usually have longer legs and larger ears. Young hares are born with fur and open eyes.

Hawk

Hawks are birds of prey with excellent eyesight and curved talons. They hunt smaller animals from the air or from high perches.

Hedgehog

Hedgehogs have bodies covered with stiff spines that protect them from predators. They often curl into a tight ball when threatened.

Hippopotamus

Hippopotamuses are huge mammals that spend much of the day in water. Despite their heavy bodies, they can move quickly on land.

Horse

Horses are large mammals that have been domesticated for thousands of years. People keep them for riding, farming, sport, transport, and companionship.

Hyena

Hyenas are carnivorous mammals found mainly in Africa and parts of Asia. Spotted hyenas live in social groups and have extremely powerful jaws.

Hornbill

Hornbills are tropical birds with large, curved bills. Many species live in forests and eat fruit, insects, and small animals.

Heron

Herons are long-legged birds that often hunt in shallow water. They use their long, pointed bills to catch fish and other prey.

Hummingbird

Hummingbirds are among the smallest birds in the world. Their rapidly beating wings allow them to hover while feeding on nectar.

Husky

Huskies are strong dogs developed for pulling sleds in cold regions. Their thick coats help them tolerate very low temperatures.

Honey Badger

Honey badgers are small but powerful mammals with thick, loose skin. They eat insects, reptiles, small animals, roots, and honey.

Animals Starting with H by Groups and Types

Many animals that start with the letter H belong to different animal groups. The lists below organize additional names by their broad biological or familiar animal category.

Mammals that Start with H

• Hamster
• Hare
• Hartebeest
• Hedgehog
• Hippopotamus
• Horse
• Hyena
• Honey badger
• Howler monkey
• Hoary bat
• Harbor seal
• Harp seal
• Horseshoe bat
• Hog deer
• Hog-nosed bat
• Himalayan tahr
• Himalayan marmot
• Highland cattle
• House mouse
• House cat
• House rabbit
• Human
• Hutia
• Hyrax
• Hispaniolan solenodon
• Hairy armadillo
• Hairy-nosed wombat
• Hairy-eared dwarf lemur
• Hawaiian monk seal
• Hawaiian hoary bat
• Humpback whale
• Humpback dolphin
• Hector’s dolphin
• Harbor porpoise
• Hooded seal
• Hooded skunk
• Hoary marmot
• Hoary fox
• Horse mouse
• Horse bat
• Hog badger
• Hog-nosed skunk
• Hispaniolan hutia
• Hainan gibbon
• Hoolock gibbon

Birds Starting with H

• Hawk
• Heron
• Hornbill
• Hummingbird
• Hoopoe
• Harrier
• Honeyguide
• Hoatzin
• Horned lark
• Hooded crow
• Hooded warbler
• House sparrow
• House finch
• House martin
• House wren
• Hermit thrush
• Hawaiian crow
• Hawaiian goose
• Hawaiian hawk
• Hawaiian petrel
• Hawaiian stilt
• Harris’s hawk
• Harpy eagle
• Harlequin duck
• Hooded merganser
• Hooded oriole
• Hoary redpoll
• Himalayan monal
• Himalayan griffon
• Himalayan quail
• Hispaniolan parrot
• Hamerkop
• Houbara bustard
• Hyacinth macaw
• Hyacinth visorbearer
• Hottentot teal

Reptiles Name that Start with H

• Horned lizard
• Hawksbill sea turtle
• Hermann’s tortoise
• Hinge-back tortoise
• Home’s hinge-back tortoise
• Hellbender
• Hispaniolan green anole
• Hawaiian green turtle
• Hispaniolan slider
• Hispaniolan boa
• Habu
• Hook-nosed sea snake
• Horned adder
• Hognose snake
• Hognose viper
• Horsefield’s tortoise

Amphibians Beginning with H

• Hellbender
• Hyla tree frog
• Houston toad
• Harlequin frog
• Hula painted frog
• Hainan torrent frog
• Himalayan newt
• Hallowell’s tree frog
• Honshu salamander
• Hong Kong warty newt

Fish that Start with the Letter H

• Haddock
• Halibut
• Hake
• Herring
• Horse mackerel
• Hammerhead shark
• Hagfish
• Halibut
• Halfbeak
• Hatchetfish
• Hawkfish
• Hogfish
• Hogchoker
• Helicopter catfish
• Houndshark
• Huchen
• Huchen salmon
• Honey gourami
• Harlequin rasbora
• Headstander
• Highfin perch
• Horseface loach
• Hawaiian spotted puffer
• Hawaiian flagtail
• Hawaiian anchovy
• Hawaiian chub

Marine Animals Starting with H

• Humpback whale
• Humpback dolphin
• Harbor seal
• Harp seal
• Harbor porpoise
• Hawksbill sea turtle
• Hammerhead shark
• Hagfish
• Halibut
• Herring
• Haddock
• Hake
• Horse mackerel
• Hogfish
• Houndshark
• Hatchetfish
• Horseshoe crab
• Hydroid
• Hydrozoan
• Hermit crab
• Helmet crab

Insects Name that Start with H

• Honeybee
• Horsefly
• Hoverfly
• Hornet
• Hercules beetle
• Harlequin bug
• Harlequin ladybird
• Hickory borer
• Hickory horned devil
• Horse lubber grasshopper
• Honey ant
• Honeysuckle aphid
• Hemlock looper
• Hawaiian happy-face spider
• Hummingbird hawk-moth
• Hawk moth
• Hercules moth
• Hickory tussock moth
• Heliothis moth
• Holly blue butterfly
• Hairstreak butterfly
• Heath fritillary
• Heath moth
• Hummingbird clearwing

Arachnids and Other Small Animals with H

• Harvestman
• House spider
• Huntsman spider
• Hobo spider
• Hawaiian happy-face spider
• Horned orb-weaver
• House centipede
• Horseshoe crab
• Horsehair worm
• Hydatid worm
• Hookworm
• Heart urchin
• Hermit crab
• Helmet crab
• Honey ant
• Hog louse

Names of Animals Beginning with H

Some H animal names describe a physical feature, habitat, behavior, or relationship with humans. For example, horned lizard refers to its horns, while house sparrow reflects its close association with human settlements.

• Hartebeest: Large African antelope with elongated head.
• Howler Monkey: Loud-voiced primate living in tropical forests.
• Hyrax: Small hoofed mammal with unusual relatives.
• Hutia: Caribbean rodent found on several islands.
• Hoatzin: Leaf-eating tropical bird with unusual chicks.
• Hoopoe: Crested bird with long curved bill.
• Harrier: Slender hawk that hunts near ground.
• Harpy Eagle: Powerful forest eagle with massive talons.
• Hamerkop: African waterbird with hammer-shaped head.
• Honeyguide: African bird associated with honey-seeking behavior.
• Houbara Bustard: Large desert bird with elaborate displays.
• Hyacinth Macaw: Large blue parrot with powerful bill.
• Hognose Snake: Snake known for upturned snout.
• Horned Lizard: Spiny lizard using camouflage for protection.
• Hawksbill Sea Turtle: Marine turtle with narrow curved beak.
• Hermann’s Tortoise: Small Mediterranean tortoise with patterned shell.
• Hinge-back Tortoise: Tortoise with flexible rear shell.
• Habu: Venomous pit viper native to Japan.
• Hellbender: Large aquatic salamander living in rivers.
• Houston Toad: Rare amphibian native to Texas.
• Humpback Whale: Large whale famous for complex songs.
• Humpback Dolphin: Coastal dolphin with distinctive rounded back.
• Harp Seal: Arctic seal with distinctive pale coat.
• Harbor Seal: Coastal seal commonly found in northern waters.
• Horseshoe Crab: Ancient marine arthropod with hard shell.
• Honeybee: Social insect producing honey inside colonies.
• Hornet: Large wasp capable of painful stings.
• Hoverfly: Fly often resembling bees or wasps.
• Horsefly: Biting fly that feeds on blood.
• Hercules Beetle: Large beetle famous for impressive horns.
• Harvestman: Long-legged arachnid often mistaken for spiders.
• Huntsman Spider: Large fast spider with sideways legs.
• House Spider: Common spider found around human buildings.
• Hobo Spider: Ground-dwelling spider associated with temperate regions.

Animal Beginning with H Spelling and Meaning Confusions

• Hare vs. Rabbit: Hares generally have longer legs, larger ears, and more developed young at birth.
• Hawk vs. Falcon: Both are birds of prey, but they belong to different groups with different body structures.
• Hyena vs. Dog: Hyenas resemble dogs in appearance but belong to their own mammalian family.
• Hippopotamus vs. Rhinoceros: Both are large African mammals, but they belong to different mammalian orders.

How to Use H Animal Names

• Learn the most common H animals first.
• Read each name aloud to practice pronunciation.
• Group unfamiliar names by animal category.
• Use the names in short English sentences.
• Review the complete list when practicing animal vocabulary.

Animals That Start with H: Complete List

FAQs About Animals That Start with H

Conclusion

Animals That Start with H include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, marine animals, and many other groups. Common examples include horse, hamster, hare, hawk, hedgehog, hippopotamus, hyena, heron, hornbill, and hummingbird.

Learning these animal names can expand English vocabulary while helping learners recognize different animal groups and descriptive terms.

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