Animals are often given names that reflect their unique behaviors, traits, or actions, making their names a fascinating clue to their way of life.
Whether it’s a bird known for its distinctive call, an insect named for its method of hunting, or a mammal that moves in a particular way, these names offer a direct link to what the animal does best.
When solving word puzzles, you might come across clues asking for animals named after their behaviors or actions.
To make things easier, we’ve compiled a list of such animals to help you breeze through those tricky puzzle clues.
Here’s a look at some of the most common animals named after what they do (listed in alphabetical order)
Angler Fish: A fish known for its bioluminescent lure, which it uses to attract prey.
Antlions: Insects whose larvae dig pits to trap ants, from which the name originates.
Antpeckers: Birds known for pecking at ants or their nests.
Bald Eagle: Known for its white head (bald), and represents freedom.
Balloon Fish: Also known as pufferfish, they inflate their bodies to deter predators.
Barking Deer: A species of deer that emits a barking sound to warn others of predators.
Barking Geckoes: Geckos known for their barking calls, often heard in the wild at night.
Bearded Vulture: Named for the tuft of feathers on its chin, resembling a beard.
Bee-eaters: Birds that feed primarily on bees and other flying insects.
Bloodhound: Known for its ability to track scents, often used in tracking criminals (its name references its noble or “blooded” lineage).
Bullet Ants: Ants known for their extremely painful sting, which is considered one of the most painful insect stings.
Burrowing Frog: Frogs that dig into the ground to avoid extreme heat or dry conditions.
Burrowing Owls: Owls that live in burrows, often dug by other animals, and are named for their habitat.
Butcher Birds: Birds that impale their prey on thorns or branches, often using a sharp beak to kill.
Cavefish: Lives in caves and is adapted to dark, underwater environments.
Chanting Goshawks: Raptors known for their distinctive, melodious calls during flight.
Chickadee: A small bird named for its distinctive “chick-a-dee-dee” call.
Constrictors: Snakes that kill prey by wrapping around and tightening their grip, like boa constrictors.
Crabeater Seal: Although it primarily feeds on krill, its name suggests it is a crab-eater, highlighting its foraging behavior
Crab-eating Foxes: Foxes named for their occasional diet of crabs and other small prey.
Crab-eating Raccoons: Raccoons that feed on crabs and other marine creatures, often seen foraging along shorelines.
Cuttlefish: A marine animal named for its ability to cut or shape its environment with its tentacles.
Darters: Birds that “dart” through the water while hunting for fish, often seen diving and emerging with prey.
Dipper: A bird that “dips” into streams to forage for insects and other small prey.
Duck-billed Platypus: Named for its duck-like bill, and is known for its unique combination of mammal traits.
Dung Beetles: Beetles that feed on dung, often rolling it into balls to use as food or a nesting site.
Egg-Eating Snake: This snake is named for its diet, which consists almost exclusively of eggs
Electric Eel: Known for its ability to generate electric shocks for hunting and defense.
Fire Ant: Named for its fiery sting, which can cause intense pain.
Firefly – An insect that produces light, resembling fire.
Fish Eagle: A type of eagle that primarily feeds on fish.
Fishing Cats: Cats that specialize in hunting fish and other aquatic animals.
Flycatcher – A bird known for catching insects mid-flight.
Flying Fish: Fish that leap out of the water and glide for short distances to escape predators.
Flying Foxes: Large fruit bats named for their fox-like faces and wingspan.
Flying Snakes: Snakes capable of gliding through the air, using their bodies to “fly” from tree to tree.
Flying Squirrel: A squirrel that can glide from tree to tree using flaps of skin between its legs.
Fruit Bats: Large bats that feed primarily on fruit and nectar, also known as flying foxes.
Fruit Fly: A small fly that is commonly found on overripe or fermenting fruit.
Goby Fish: Named for its “gobbling” mouth, which it uses to suck food from the sea floor.
Goliath Birdeaters: The largest spiders in the world, named for their ability to catch and eat birds.
Grasshopper – A jumping insect, named for its primary mode of movement.
Honey Badger: Named for its diet, as it is known to raid beehives for honey and larvae
Honeybees: Bees known for collecting nectar to produce honey and for pollinating plants.
Howler Monkey: A monkey known for its loud, howling call that can be heard over long distances.
Hummingbird: Named for the humming sound its wings make during rapid flight.
Ice crawlers: Organisms, often insects or fish, known for their ability to survive in icy conditions or move across ice.
Jumping Spider: A spider known for its ability to leap long distances when hunting or escaping danger.
Killer Whales: Also known as orcas, these marine mammals are apex predators, known for their hunting prowess.
Kingfishers: Birds known for catching fish, often seen diving into water to grab their prey.
Laughing Kookaburras: Birds known for their distinctive, laughter-like calls that echo through the forest.
Lemon Shark: Named for its yellow-brown coloration that allows it to blend in with sandy sea floors, aiding in its hunting strategy
Lionfish – A venomous fish named for the lion-like mane of spines.
Lungfish: Fish with lungs that allow them to breathe air and survive in low-oxygen environments.
Monkey-Eating Eagle: A large eagle known for hunting monkeys and other small animals in the wild.
Mudskipper: A fish that “skips” across mudflats, using its fins to propel itself.
Oxpeckers: Birds that feed on parasites found on large mammals like cattle, often seen perched on their backs.
Oystercatchers: Birds that specialize in hunting and eating oysters and other shellfish.
Planthoppers: Insects named for their ability to jump from plant to plant, often with a leaping motion.
Pond Skater: Insects that glide across the surface of ponds using surface tension.
Praying Mantis: Insects named for their folded forelegs, which resemble a prayer position.
Pufferfish: Fish known for inflating their bodies to a ball shape as a defense mechanism against predators.
Puffin: Named for its puffed-up appearance, especially during mating season.
Racer Snakes: Snakes known for their speed and ability to quickly slither across the ground.
Ringtail: A mammal with a distinct ringed tail, often associated with agile climbing.
Roadrunner: A fast-running bird known for its ability to sprint along the ground.
Rockhopper: A type of penguin known for its ability to hop and climb over rocks and cliffs.
Rollers: Birds named for their aerial acrobatics, which involve rolling or tumbling through the air.
Roosters: Male chickens, named for their crowing or “cock-a-doodle-doo” calls at dawn.
Saddleback Caterpillar: A caterpillar with a distinct, saddle-like mark on its back.
Sand-Bubblers: Birds or crustaceans that create bubbles in the sand while foraging, typically found on beaches.
Scorpionfish: A fish named for its venomous spines, reminiscent of a scorpion’s tail.
Screamers: Birds known for their loud, screeching calls, often used to warn off predators or communicate.
Skunk: Known for emitting a foul-smelling spray as a defense mechanism.
Snapping Turtle: A turtle known for its strong, snapping bite, capable of quickly grabbing prey.
Snow Leopard: Named for its snowy, mountainous habitat and its characteristic spotted fur.
Spider Monkey: A type of monkey known for its long, spindly limbs, resembling a spider.
Spiderhunters: Birds or insects that specifically hunt spiders as their primary food source.
Spitfire: A nickname for a type of bird (often a falcon) known for its aggressive, fast movements.
Stonefish: A venomous fish that camouflages itself among stones and coral.
Strawberry Finch: Known for its bright red plumage with white spots, resembling strawberries, which reflects its appearance rather than behavior
Sugar Glider: A small, nocturnal gliding mammal that feeds on nectar and sap.
Tailor Bird: Birds known for sewing leaves together to make nests.
Treecreeper: Birds that creep up trees, spiraling around trunks in search of insects.
Treefrog: Frogs that live in trees or other elevated areas, often with specialized pads on their feet for climbing.
Trumpeter Swans: Swans named for the trumpet-like calls they produce.
Tumbler: A type of pigeon known for its acrobatic flight, flipping and tumbling in the air.
Turnstone: Birds that “turn” stones to find food, particularly shellfish and small invertebrates.
Vampire Bat: Named for its diet of blood, often from livestock.
Wagtail: A small bird known for constantly wagging its tail as it hops along the ground
Wallcreepers: Birds known for creeping along walls and cliffs in search of food.
Warblers: Small songbirds known for their varied and melodious songs.
Water Buffalo: Named for its habitat near water and its role in agriculture.
Weavers: Birds known for their intricate nest-building, weaving grass and twigs together.
Woodpecker: Known for pecking wood to find insects or create nesting sites.
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