In this article, we’ve compiled animals that end with the letter W. For each animal, we’ll give you a few quick facts and share a picture.
1. Elephant shrew
Scientific Name: Macroscelididae
The Elephant shrew, also known as sengi, is a small mammal found in Africa, notable for its elongated nose resembling an elephant’s trunk, which it uses to forage for insects. Despite their name, Elephant shrews are not shrews but are more closely related to elephants, aardvarks, and manatees. These agile creatures have a distinctive bounding locomotion, thanks to their long hind legs, enabling them to quickly dart through underbrush to escape predators.
They inhabit a variety of ecosystems, from dense forests to arid deserts, adapting their lifestyle to the available resources. Elephant shrews are monogamous and territorial, with pairs maintaining and defending their territories together. They are known for creating a network of trails within their territory to aid in foraging and predator evasion.
2. Cow
Scientific Name: Bos taurus
Cows are domesticated ungulates known for their role in agriculture as providers of milk, meat, and leather. Characterized by their large size, varied coat colors, and distinctive mooing sounds, cows have a calm and social nature, often forming close bonds within their herds. They are ruminants, possessing a complex digestive system with four stomach chambers that allow them to efficiently break down tough plant materials.
Cows have been domesticated for thousands of years, with their origins tracing back to wild aurochs in parts of Asia and Europe. Today, they are found worldwide and adapted to a range of environments from pastures to feedlots. An interesting fact about cows is their ability to recognize individual herd members and form complex social hierarchies.
3. Crow
Scientific Name: Corvus
Crows, part of the genus Corvus, are highly intelligent birds known for their adaptability, complex social structures, and problem-solving abilities. Characterized by their all-black feathers, strong beak, and raucous calls, crows are found almost worldwide, from urban cities to rural farmlands and forests. They exhibit remarkable behaviors, such as using tools to obtain food, storing food for later use, and engaging in playful activities.
Crows are omnivorous, feeding on a wide range of foods including insects, seeds, and waste. They are known to recognize human faces and remember those who treat them kindly or pose a threat. Crows often work together to mob predators and protect their territory, highlighting their cooperative nature.
4. Great green macaw
Scientific Name: Ara ambiguus
The Great green macaw also known as Buffon’s macaw, is a large, vibrant parrot native to the rainforests of Central and South America. Distinguished by its predominantly bright green plumage, with a blue lower back, rump, and upper tail feathers, and a red forehead, this bird is a stunning sight. The Great green macaw’s strong beak is perfectly adapted for cracking nuts and seeds, which form a significant part of its diet, along with fruits and flowers.
These macaws are known for their loud calls, which can be heard over long distances, aiding communication within the dense forests they inhabit. They are highly social and monogamous birds, often seen in pairs or small family groups. Sadly, the Great green macaw is facing threats from habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade, leading to its endangered status.
5. Sparrow
Scientific Name: Passeridae
Sparrows, belonging to the family Passeridae, are small, plump birds recognized for their adaptable nature and close association with human settlements. They exhibit a variety of colors and patterns, generally characterized by their brown, gray, and white plumage, making them less conspicuous in urban and rural environments. Sparrows are found worldwide, thriving in diverse habitats from city streets and parks to farmlands and forests.
They primarily feed on seeds but also consume insects, especially during the breeding season to feed their young. Sparrows are social birds, often seen in flocks, and their cheerful chirping is a familiar sound in many regions. Notably, the House sparrow is among the most widely distributed bird species.
6. Long-billed curlew
Scientific Name: Numenius americanus
The Long-billed curlew is a large, North American shorebird, notable for its long, down-curved bill, which it uses to probe deep into the mud for aquatic invertebrates. Its brown, mottled plumage provides camouflage against the grassy habitats of prairies and coastal mudflats where it breeds and feeds. This bird migrates between wintering grounds along the southern coasts of the U.S. and Mexico and breeding territories in the grasslands of the Great Plains and the western United States.
The Long-billed curlew’s distinctive call, a loud, melancholic “cur-lee,” is a characteristic sound of its habitat. They nest on the ground, laying eggs in a simple scrape, camouflaged by surrounding vegetation.
7. Chow chow
Scientific Name: Canis lupus familiaris
The Chow chow is a distinctive dog breed known for its lion-like mane, unique blue-black tongue, and sturdily built frame. Originating from China, where it was used as a hunting and guard dog, the Chow chow possesses a dignified and aloof personality, often showing deep loyalty to its family while being wary of strangers. Its thick double coat, which can be either smooth or rough, requires regular grooming to maintain its distinctive appearance.
Chow chows are also recognized for their distinctive stilted gait. Despite their somewhat stern appearance, they can be affectionate and devoted pets in the right hands. Training and socialization from a young age are crucial due to their strong-willed nature. This breed has a rich history, with evidence suggesting its presence in China for thousands of years, depicted in artifacts and writings.
8. Steller’s sea cow
Scientific Name: Hydrodamalis gigas
Steller’s sea cow was a large marine mammal that became extinct in the 18th century, less than 30 years after its discovery by Europeans. Native to the cold waters of the North Pacific, particularly around the Commander Islands, this gentle giant was an impressive sight, reaching lengths of up to 30 feet and weighing as much as 10 tons.
Unlike other sea cows, Steller’s sea cow had a thick, bark-like skin and lacked a dorsal fin. It was a herbivore, grazing on kelp and seaweed in shallow waters. Named after the naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller, who first described them in 1741, their extinction was primarily due to overhunting by humans for their meat, fat, and hide.
9. Smew
Scientific Name: Mergellus albellus
The Smew is a small, distinctive duck found in the boreal forests of Europe and Asia. It is known for its striking appearance; males have a pristine white body with black patches, while females and juveniles display grey plumage with a white cheek patch. Smews prefer freshwater lakes, slow-flowing rivers, and sheltered coastal waters, particularly favoring areas with abundant aquatic vegetation.
This duck is a skilled diver, feeding mainly on fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans. Smews are migratory, breeding in the northern regions and wintering in the more temperate southern areas. Their nesting sites are typically in tree holes or nests abandoned by other birds.
10. Fish crow
Scientific Name: Corvus ossifragus
The Fish crow is a medium-sized crow native to the southeastern United States, distinguishable from the common crow by its smaller size and distinctive nasal call, often transcribed as “uh-uh.” They inhabit coastal areas, marshes, rivers, and inland waters, showing a strong preference for areas near water.
Fish crows are omnivorous, with a diet that includes fish, crustaceans, insects, small reptiles, eggs, and grains, showcasing their adaptability in foraging. They are known for their intelligence, like other corvids, capable of using tools and solving complex problems. An interesting behavior of the Fish crow is their habit of following fishermen and other birds to scavenge leftovers.
11. Barn swallow
Scientific Name: Hirundo rustica
The Barn swallow is a small, agile bird, easily recognized by its glossy blue back, reddish-orange underparts, and deeply forked tail. As one of the most widespread species of swallow, they inhabit open, rural areas worldwide, thriving near water and fields that offer abundant insect prey. Barn swallows are known for their flying skills, performing acrobatic maneuvers to catch insects mid-air.
They build their cup-shaped mud nests almost exclusively on human-made structures, a behavior that has allowed them to coexist closely with humans. Migratory in nature, Barn swallows cover thousands of miles between their breeding grounds in the temperate and subarctic regions and wintering areas in the tropics. Their cheerful twittering is a herald of spring in many areas.
12. Java sparrow
Scientific Name: Lonchura oryzivora
The Java sparrow also known as the Java finch or Rice bird, is a small, striking bird native to the islands of Java and Bali in Indonesia. Characterized by its robust body, gray plumage, and distinctive pink bill and feet, the Java sparrow is easily recognizable. Its cheeks and throat are white, contrasting beautifully with a black head.
Originally thriving in open grasslands and cultivated fields, they are often found in large flocks, feeding primarily on grain and seeds, which has led to their reputation as a pest in rice fields. Despite their name, Java sparrows have been introduced to various other regions and are popular in the pet trade due to their social nature and pleasant chirping.
Patricia is a wildlife enthusiast that loves traveling and learning about wildlife all over North America and the world. Aside from being writer for Wildlife Informer, she’s an avid bird watcher as well as the owner of several pet reptiles. She enjoys visiting national parks and seeing new sights in her free time.