This list includes 40 Animals that start with K that start with K, from “Kagu” to “Kākāpō”. These animals range from tiny insects and fishes to notable birds and mammals found worldwide. Use this collection for classroom worksheets, quick species lookups, and general learning.
Animals that start with K are species whose common names begin with the letter K. Many, like the New Zealand kākāpō, have notable cultural importance and urgent conservation stories.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, Description, and Conservation status.
Common name: The widely used English name for each animal, helping you quickly recognize the species.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial provides precise identification, so you can find authoritative species information.
Habitat: A concise biome and region summary that tells you where the species typically lives.
Description: A brief one or two sentence overview of appearance, behavior, or diet for quick understanding.
Conservation status: A short tag indicating global risk level, helping you gauge urgency for study or advocacy.
Animals that start with K
| Common name | Scientific name | Habitat | Conservation status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kangaroo | Macropus giganteus | Woodland and grassland — Eastern Australia | Least Concern |
| Koala | Phascolarctos cinereus | Eucalyptus forest — Eastern Australia | Endangered |
| Komodo Dragon | Varanus komodoensis | Tropical savanna and forest — Indonesian islands | Endangered |
| Kookaburra | Dacelo novaeguineae | Woodland and open forest — Eastern Australia | Least Concern |
| King Cobra | Ophiophagus hannah | Forest and swamp — South and Southeast Asia | Vulnerable |
| Kinkajou | Potos flavus | Tropical rainforest — Central and South America | Least Concern |
| Kiwi | Apteryx mantelli | Forest and scrubland — New Zealand | Vulnerable |
| King Penguin | Aptenodytes patagonicus | Subantarctic islands — Southern Ocean | Least Concern |
| Kestrel | Falco sparverius | Open country and woodland — The Americas | Least Concern |
| Kudu | Tragelaphus strepsiceros | Savanna and woodland — Eastern and Southern Africa | Least Concern |
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | Open ground and shorelines — The Americas | Least Concern |
| Klipspringer | Oreotragus oreotragus | Rocky outcrops and mountains — Eastern and Southern Africa | Least Concern |
| Kākāpō | Strigops habroptilus | Forest — New Zealand | Critically Endangered |
| Kea | Nestor notabilis | Alpine environments — New Zealand | Endangered |
| Kite | Milvus migrans | Varied open habitats — Eurasia, Africa, Australia | Least Concern |
| Krill | Euphausia superba | Marine — Southern Ocean | Least Concern |
| Kingsnake | Lampropeltis getula | Desert, woodland, and grassland — North America | Least Concern |
| Katydid | Tettigoniidae family | Forests and grasslands — Worldwide | Not Evaluated |
| Kingfisher | Alcedo atthis | Wetlands and rivers — Eurasia and North Africa | Least Concern |
| Kowari | Dasyuroides byrnei | Gibber plains and grassland — Central Australia | Vulnerable |
| Kob | Kobus kob | Savanna and floodplain — Sub-Saharan Africa | Least Concern |
| Kouprey | Bos sauveli | Forest and savanna — Southeast Asia | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) |
| King Eider | Somateria spectabilis | Marine and tundra — Arctic coasts | Least Concern |
| Kittiwake | Rissa tridactyla | Coastal cliffs — North Atlantic and Pacific | Vulnerable |
| Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | Open habitats — The Americas | Least Concern |
| Krait | Bungarus fasciatus | Forest and agricultural land — South and Southeast Asia | Least Concern |
| Kirk’s Dik-dik | Madoqua kirkii | Scrubland and savanna — Eastern Africa | Least Concern |
| Knob-tailed Gecko | Nephrurus levis | Arid scrubland and desert — Australia | Least Concern |
| Killifish | Fundulus diaphanus | Freshwater and brackish ponds — North America | Least Concern |
| Koi Carp | Cyprinus rubrofuscus | Freshwater ponds — Worldwide (domesticated) | Not Evaluated |
| Kissing Gourami | Helostoma temminckii | Slow-moving freshwater — Southeast Asia | Least Concern |
| King Mackerel | Scomberomorus cavalla | Coastal marine — Western Atlantic Ocean | Least Concern |
| Kelp Gull | Larus dominicanus | Coastal regions — Southern Hemisphere | Least Concern |
| Knot | Calidris canutus | Tundra and coastal mudflats — Global migration | Near Threatened |
| Knifefish | Apteronotus albifrons | Freshwater basins — South America | Not Evaluated |
| Kipunji | Rungwecebus kipunji | Montane forest — Tanzania | Endangered |
| Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle | Lepidochelys kempii | Marine — Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean | Critically Endangered |
| Killer Whale | Orcinus orca | Marine — All oceans | Data Deficient |
| Kelp Crab | Pugettia producta | Kelp forests and tide pools — Pacific North America | Not Evaluated |
| Kagu | Rhynochetos jubatus | Forest — New Caledonia | Endangered |
Descriptions
Kangaroo
A large marsupial famous for its powerful hind legs used for hopping. Females raise their young, called joeys, in a pouch. They are herbivores that primarily graze on grasses.
Koala
An arboreal marsupial with a specialized diet of eucalyptus leaves. Often mistaken for a bear, it conserves energy by sleeping up to 20 hours a day. Habitat loss is a major threat.
Komodo Dragon
The world’s largest living lizard, growing up to 3 meters long. It is an apex predator with a venomous bite, capable of hunting large prey like water buffalo and deer.
Kookaburra
A large terrestrial kingfisher famous for its call, which sounds like loud, echoing human laughter. It is a carnivore, preying on insects, worms, snakes, and small reptiles.
King Cobra
The world’s longest venomous snake, reaching over 5.5 meters. Unlike other cobras, it primarily preys on other snakes. Its venom is a potent neurotoxin.
Kinkajou
A nocturnal mammal related to raccoons, often called a honey bear. It has a prehensile tail and spends most of its life in trees, feeding primarily on fruit and nectar.
Kiwi
A flightless, nocturnal bird with hair-like feathers and a long beak. Unusually for a bird, it has a highly developed sense of smell used to find invertebrates in the soil.
King Penguin
The second-largest penguin species, recognized by the bright orange patches on its head. They form massive breeding colonies and can dive over 300 meters deep to hunt for fish and squid.
Kestrel
North America’s smallest falcon, known for its colorful plumage and ability to hover while hunting. It preys on insects, small mammals, and reptiles.
Kudu
A large antelope known for the male’s long, spiral horns, which can grow up to 1.8 meters. They are browsers, feeding on leaves and shoots, and are known for their incredible leaping ability.
Killdeer
A medium-sized plover known for its distinctive, piercing call. It’s famous for its broken-wing act, where it feigns injury to lure predators away from its nest on the ground.
Klipspringer
A small antelope adapted to rocky terrain. It walks on the tips of its hooves, giving it a sure-footed grip. Klipspringers form lifelong monogamous pairs.
Kākāpō
A large, flightless, nocturnal parrot, also known as the owl parrot. It is one of the world’s longest-living birds. Intensive conservation efforts are underway to save it from extinction.
Kea
The world’s only alpine parrot, known for its high intelligence and curiosity. Its inquisitive nature can lead it to investigate and sometimes damage human property like cars and backpacks.
Kite
A medium-sized bird of prey with a distinctive forked tail. It is an opportunistic scavenger and hunter, often seen soaring over a wide range of landscapes.
Krill
Tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans that form massive swarms. They are a keystone species in the Antarctic ecosystem, serving as the primary food source for whales, seals, penguins, and other marine life.
Kingsnake
A non-venomous constrictor famous for its vibrant patterns and its immunity to the venom of rattlesnakes, which it often preys upon. They are popular in the pet trade.
Katydid
A large green insect related to crickets and grasshoppers. Known for its leaf-like appearance, which provides excellent camouflage, and the loud, chirping songs produced by males.
Kingfisher
A small, brilliantly colored bird known for its dramatic hunting method. It dives headfirst into the water from a perch to catch small fish and aquatic insects with its long, sharp bill.
Kowari
A small, carnivorous marsupial with a distinctive black, bushy-tipped tail. This nocturnal hunter preys on insects, spiders, and small vertebrates.
Kob
A medium-sized antelope found in wet grasslands. Males, known as bucks, establish small territories called leks to attract and display for females during the breeding season.
Kouprey
A wild cattle species that has not been sighted since 1988. It is a large, forest-dwelling bovine, and if any survive, they are one of the rarest animals on Earth.
King Eider
A large sea duck named for the male’s spectacular, multi-colored breeding plumage, which includes a prominent orange knob on its bill. They breed on the Arctic tundra.
Kittiwake
A medium-sized gull that spends most of its life at sea. It is named for its distinctive “kitti-waak” call and nests in large, noisy colonies on precipitous sea cliffs.
Kingbird
A large flycatcher known for its aggressive behavior. Despite its size, it will fearlessly attack and chase away much larger birds, including hawks and crows, that venture into its territory.
Krait
A highly venomous snake with striking yellow and black bands. It is nocturnal, and its potent neurotoxic venom can cause respiratory failure in bite victims.
Kirk’s Dik-dik
One of the smallest antelopes, standing only 30–40 cm tall. They form monogamous pairs and mark their territory with preorbital gland secretions, which look like black tears.
Knob-tailed Gecko
A stout-bodied gecko with a short, thick tail ending in a small knob. This nocturnal, ground-dwelling lizard feeds on insects and spiders and lives in self-dug burrows.
Killifish
A small, adaptable fish known for its ability to survive in diverse and sometimes challenging aquatic environments. Some species can even live in water with very low oxygen levels.
Koi Carp
A domesticated variety of common carp, bred for its vibrant colors. Koi are a symbol of luck, prosperity, and good fortune in Japanese culture and are popular in ornamental ponds.
Kissing Gourami
A popular aquarium fish named for its distinctive “kissing” behavior, where two fish press their extended lips together. This is thought to be a form of social challenge rather than affection.
King Mackerel
A large, fast-swimming predatory fish, prized by sport fishermen. It can grow up to 1.8 meters and is known for its blistering speed when hunting smaller fish.
Kelp Gull
A large, widespread gull with a white head and body, black back, and a powerful yellow bill tipped with red. It is an intelligent and adaptable omnivore and scavenger.
Knot
A medium-sized shorebird famous for its incredibly long-distance migrations, some covering over 15,000 km. It relies on key stopover sites, like Delaware Bay, to refuel.
Knifefish
A nocturnal fish named for its long, blade-like body. The Black Ghost Knifefish navigates and finds prey in murky water by generating a weak electric field around its body.
Kipunji
A species of monkey discovered in 2003, making it one of the most recently found primates. It is known for its unique, loud “honk-bark” call and long, grayish-brown fur.
Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
The world’s rarest sea turtle. Females come ashore in mass nesting events called arribadas, primarily on a single stretch of beach in Mexico. Conservation efforts are critical to its survival.
Killer Whale
A highly intelligent toothed whale, also known as an orca. It is an apex predator with complex social structures and diverse hunting techniques. Different populations face varying threats.
Kelp Crab
A crab that is a master of camouflage, often decorating its own shell with algae and other materials to blend in with its kelp forest home. It is an important herbivore in its ecosystem.
Kagu
A nearly flightless, grayish-blue bird with a prominent crest. It is the sole surviving member of its family. The Kagu is known for its elaborate displays and barking calls.
