Here you’ll find 52 Animals that start with H that begin with H, organized from “European Hedgehog” to “Spotted Hyena”. The list covers mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and insects from around the world. Use it for classroom reference, quick identification, or conservation awareness.
Animals that start with H are species whose common English names begin with the letter H. Many, like the hedgehog and hyena, appear in folklore and natural history.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, Region, Description, and Conservation status.
Common name: The everyday English name so you can quickly identify species in field and classroom lists.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial used globally; it helps you confirm identity and search scientific resources.
Habitat: Brief biome and typical environment, so you know where the animal lives and what it needs.
Region: Main geographic range, useful when you narrow sightings or study species by continent or country.
Description: A concise one-to-two sentence summary of appearance, behavior, or diet to help you recognize the animal.
Conservation status: IUCN or equivalent tag showing threat level, so you can assess rarity and conservation priorities quickly.
Animals that start with H
| Name | Scientific name | Habitat | Conservation status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hippopotamus | Hippopotamus amphibius | Rivers and lakes — sub-Saharan Africa | Vulnerable |
| Humpback Whale | Megaptera novaeangliae | Marine — worldwide oceans | Least Concern |
| Spotted Hyena | Crocuta crocuta | Savannas and grasslands — sub-Saharan Africa | Least Concern |
| European Hedgehog | Erinaceus europaeus | Woodlands and gardens — Europe | Least Concern |
| Harpy Eagle | Harpia harpyja | Tropical rainforest — Central and South America | Vulnerable |
| Hawksbill Sea Turtle | Eretmochelys imbricata | Tropical and subtropical oceans — worldwide | Critically Endangered |
| Horseshoe Crab | Limulus polyphemus | Shallow coastal waters — North America and Asia | Vulnerable |
| Honey Bee | Apis mellifera | Grasslands and forests — worldwide (native to Eurasia/Africa) | Not Evaluated |
| Hammerhead Shark | Sphyrna mokarran | Coastal and oceanic waters — worldwide tropics | Critically Endangered |
| Hoopoe | Upupa epops | Farmland and open woodland — Afro-Eurasia | Least Concern |
| Howler Monkey | Alouatta palliata | Tropical forests — Central and South America | Vulnerable |
| Harp Seal | Pagophilus groenlandicus | Arctic and North Atlantic oceans — marine | Least Concern |
| Harris’s Hawk | Parabuteo unicinctus | Scrub and desert — Southwestern US to South America | Least Concern |
| Herring Gull | Larus argentatus | Coastal areas and inland lakes — Northern Hemisphere | Least Concern |
| Horned Lizard | Phrynosoma cornutum | Arid and semi-arid deserts — North America | Least Concern |
| Hellbender | Cryptobranchus alleganiensis | Clear, fast-flowing rivers — Eastern United States | Vulnerable |
| Haddock | Melanogrammus aeglefinus | Cold marine waters — North Atlantic Ocean | Vulnerable |
| Hercules Beetle | Dynastes hercules | Rainforests — Central and South America | Not Evaluated |
| Hermit Crab | Pagurus bernhardus | Coastal waters and tide pools — North Atlantic | Not Evaluated |
| Hummingbird Hawk-Moth | Macroglossum stellatarum | Gardens and meadows — Afro-Eurasia | Not Evaluated |
| Huntsman Spider | Heteropoda maxima | Caves — Laos | Not Evaluated |
| Horse | Equus caballus | Grasslands — worldwide (domesticated) | Not Evaluated |
| Hornbill | Buceros bicornis | Forests — Southeast Asia and India | Vulnerable |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Urban and rural areas — worldwide | Least Concern |
| Hoatzin | Opisthocomus hoazin | Swamps and mangroves — Amazon and Orinoco basins | Least Concern |
| Himalayan Monal | Lophophorus impejanus | Himalayan forests and scrubland — Asia | Least Concern |
| Hooded Vulture | Necrosyrtes monachus | Savannas and woodlands — sub-Saharan Africa | Critically Endangered |
| Hognose Snake | Heterodon platirhinos | Woodlands and sandy soils — Eastern North America | Least Concern |
| Harbour Porpoise | Phocoena phocoena | Coastal marine waters — Northern Hemisphere | Least Concern |
| Hartebeest | Alcelaphus buselaphus | Savannas and grasslands — Africa | Least Concern |
| Harvest Mouse | Micromys minutus | Grasslands and reedbeds — Europe and Asia | Least Concern |
| Hoary Marmot | Marmota caligata | Alpine tundra — Northwestern North America | Least Concern |
| Hoolock Gibbon | Hoolock hoolock | Tropical and subtropical forests — Southeast Asia | Endangered |
| Hispaniolan Solenodon | Solenodon paradoxus | Forests and brushland — Hispaniola | Endangered |
| Humphead Wrasse | Cheilinus undulatus | Coral reefs — Indo-Pacific Ocean | Endangered |
| Hoki | Macruronus novaezelandiae | Temperate marine waters — New Zealand and Australia | Not Evaluated |
| Harlequin Rasbora | Trigonostigma heteromorpha | Peat swamp forests — Southeast Asia | Least Concern |
| Himalayan Tahr | Hemitragus jemlahicus | Rocky mountain slopes — Himalayas | Near Threatened |
| Hyrax | Procavia capensis | Rocky outcrops and scrublands — Africa and Middle East | Least Concern |
| Hooded Crow | Corvus cornix | Open country and coasts — Europe and Middle East | Least Concern |
| Hooded Merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus | Wooded wetlands — North America | Least Concern |
| Horned Puffin | Fratercula corniculata | Coastal cliffs and islands — North Pacific Ocean | Least Concern |
| Hawaiian Goose | Branta sandvicensis | Volcanic slopes and grasslands — Hawaii | Vulnerable |
| Halibut | Hippoglossus hippoglossus | Cold marine waters — North Atlantic | Endangered |
| Hagfish | Myxine glutinosa | Deep, cold marine waters — worldwide | Data Deficient |
| House Finch | Haemorhous mexicanus | Urban areas and open woods — North America | Least Concern |
| Helmeted Guineafowl | Numida meleagris | Savannas and grasslands — Africa | Least Concern |
| Horned Frog | Ceratophrys ornata | Grasslands and rainforests — South America | Least Concern |
| Humboldt Squid | Dosidicus gigas | Eastern Pacific Ocean — marine | Least Concern |
| Harbour Seal | Phoca vitulina | Temperate and Arctic coastlines — Northern Hemisphere | Least Concern |
| Hermann’s Tortoise | Testudo hermanni | Mediterranean forests and scrub — Southern Europe | Near Threatened |
| Hairy Frog | Trichobatrachus robustus | Rivers and rainforests — Central Africa | Least Concern |
Descriptions
Hippopotamus
This large, semi-aquatic mammal is surprisingly fast and aggressive. Hippos spend up to 16 hours a day submerged in water to keep their massive bodies cool.
Humpback Whale
Famed for their spectacular breaches and complex songs, these giant baleen whales undertake one of the longest migrations of any mammal on Earth.
Spotted Hyena
Known for their distinctive “laughing” calls, spotted hyenas are skilled hunters with incredibly powerful jaws, living in large, female-dominated clans.
European Hedgehog
A nocturnal insectivore covered in thousands of sharp spines. When threatened, it curls into a tight, prickly ball for defense.
Harpy Eagle
One of the world’s most powerful eagles, its massive talons are as large as grizzly bear claws, enabling it to hunt sloths and monkeys.
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Named for its narrow, pointed beak, this critically endangered turtle feeds on sponges in coral reefs. Its beautiful shell has sadly made it a target for poaching.
Horseshoe Crab
Considered a living fossil, this ancient marine arthropod has existed for over 450 million years. Its blue, copper-based blood is vital for medical science.
Honey Bee
A crucial pollinator for countless plants, this social insect lives in complex colonies and produces honey by collecting nectar from flowers.
Hammerhead Shark
The Great Hammerhead is the largest of its kind, using its unique, wide-set eyes and sensory organs on its “hammer” to scan the seafloor for stingrays.
Hoopoe
Instantly recognizable by its prominent crest of feathers, this colorful bird uses its long, slender bill to probe the ground for insects and grubs.
Howler Monkey
Named for its incredibly loud calls, which can travel for three miles through dense forest. These are some of the loudest animals in the world.
Harp Seal
Known for their pure white pups, called “whitecoats,” these seals are highly migratory and perfectly adapted to life in the frigid Arctic ice pack.
Harris’s Hawk
Unique among raptors, Harris’s Hawks often hunt cooperatively in family groups, a strategy that allows them to take down larger prey.
Herring Gull
A large, intelligent, and highly adaptable seabird, often seen in coastal towns. It is an opportunistic feeder with a varied diet.
Horned Lizard
This flat-bodied lizard is famous for its ability to squirt a stream of blood from its eyes to deter predators. It primarily eats ants.
Hellbender
One of the largest salamanders in the world, this fully aquatic amphibian is a “living fossil” that breathes primarily through its wrinkled skin.
Haddock
A popular food fish related to cod, recognized by a black “thumbprint” spot on its side. It lives near the seabed, feeding on small invertebrates.
Hercules Beetle
One of the largest beetles in the world, males possess enormous horns that can exceed their body length, which they use to fight rivals for mates.
Hermit Crab
This crustacean lacks a hard shell on its abdomen and protects itself by living inside salvaged, empty mollusk shells, changing them as it grows.
Hummingbird Hawk-Moth
Often mistaken for a hummingbird, this day-flying moth hovers in mid-air to feed on nectar from flowers using its long, specialized proboscis.
Huntsman Spider
The Giant Huntsman holds the record for the world’s largest spider by leg span, reaching up to 30 cm (12 inches). It is known for its speed and crab-like movements.
Horse
A domesticated herbivore that has played a crucial role in human history for transport, work, and sport. Wild ancestors originated in North America.
Hornbill
The Great Hornbill is a large, colorful bird with a massive bill topped by a bright yellow casque. It plays a vital role in seed dispersal.
House Sparrow
One of the most widely distributed birds in the world, the house sparrow has successfully adapted to living alongside humans in cities and farms.
Hoatzin
A bizarre, pheasant-sized bird whose chicks have claws on their wings to help them climb. It has a unique digestive system that ferments leaves like a cow.
Himalayan Monal
The national bird of Nepal, this stunning pheasant is known for the male’s iridescent, metallic plumage that shimmers with nine different colors.
Hooded Vulture
A small vulture facing an extremely high risk of extinction due to poisoning and habitat loss. It plays a key role as a scavenger.
Hognose Snake
Famous for its dramatic defensive display, this harmless snake will hiss, flatten its neck like a cobra, and even play dead when threatened.
Harbour Porpoise
One of the smallest marine mammals, the harbour porpoise is often shy and elusive, typically seen alone or in small groups near the coast.
Hartebeest
A large, fawn-colored antelope with an elongated face and distinctively shaped horns. It is known for its speed and endurance.
Harvest Mouse
Europe’s smallest rodent, it has a prehensile tail that it uses as a fifth limb to climb tall grasses, where it builds spherical nests.
Hoary Marmot
A large, grizzled ground squirrel named for the silvery-gray fur on its shoulders and back. It hibernates for up to eight months a year.
Hoolock Gibbon
This acrobatic primate is known for its loud, elaborate calls and incredible agility, swinging through the forest canopy using its long arms.
Hispaniolan Solenodon
A rare, shrew-like mammal that is one of the few venomous mammals in the world. It injects venom through grooves in its lower incisors.
Humphead Wrasse
A massive coral reef fish that can live for over 30 years. It is easily recognized by the prominent bulge on its forehead, which grows with age.
Hoki
A deep-sea fish in the hake family, commercially important and often used in processed fish products like fish and chips or fish fingers.
Harlequin Rasbora
A small, popular aquarium fish known for the distinctive black triangular patch on its body. It is a shoaling species that prefers soft, acidic water.
Himalayan Tahr
A large, goat-like mammal with a thick, reddish-brown coat and backward-curving horns, expertly adapted to life on rugged, high-altitude terrain.
Hyrax
Despite its rodent-like appearance, the Rock Hyrax is surprisingly the closest living relative to the elephant. It lives in large colonies on rocky hills.
Hooded Crow
A highly intelligent bird with a distinctive pale grey body and black head, wings, and tail. It is an opportunistic omnivore with a varied diet.
Hooded Merganser
A small duck with a large, fan-shaped crest that the male can raise or lower. It nests in tree cavities near ponds and streams.
Horned Puffin
A seabird distinguished by the small, black fleshy “horn” above each eye. It spends most of its life at sea, returning to land to breed in colonies.
Hawaiian Goose
Also known as the Nene, this is the world’s rarest goose. Conservation efforts have brought it back from the brink of extinction.
Halibut
The Atlantic Halibut is one of the largest flatfishes in the world, capable of reaching over 2.5 meters in length. It lives on the ocean floor.
Hagfish
An ancient, eel-like creature famous for its ability to produce copious amounts of slime as a defense mechanism, which can suffocate predators.
House Finch
A common and adaptable songbird. Males have a cheerful red head and breast, a color they derive from pigments in the foods they eat during molt.
Helmeted Guineafowl
A large, sociable bird known for its loud calls and spotted plumage. It has a bony “helmet” on its head and roams in large flocks.
Horned Frog
Nicknamed the “Pacman frog” for its enormous mouth and voracious appetite, this ambush predator will try to swallow almost anything that moves past it.
Humboldt Squid
A large, predatory squid that can reach up to 1.5 meters in length. They hunt cooperatively in large shoals and are known for their aggressive nature.
Harbour Seal
Also known as the common seal, it has a distinctively puppy-like face and is often seen resting on rocks and beaches at low tide.
Hermann’s Tortoise
A small to medium-sized tortoise popular in the pet trade. It is threatened by habitat loss and over-collection from the wild.
Hairy Frog
Also called the horror frog, this amphibian can break its own toe bones and push them through its skin to create sharp, cat-like claws for defense.
