Here you’ll find 29 Animals that start with U, organized from “Uakari” to “Utah Prairie Dog”. These entries list common and scientific names, habitats, brief descriptions, and conservation tags for quick classroom or reference use.
Animals that start with U are species whose common names begin with the letter U across many animal groups. For example, the bald uakari is notable for its bright red face and Amazonian cultural ties.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, Description, and Conservation status.
Common name: The everyday name you will recognize, useful for quick identification and classroom references.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial that uniquely identifies the species, helping you locate authoritative biological information.
Habitat: Brief biome and region notes showing where the species lives, helping you understand ecological context quickly.
Description: One to two sentence summary of appearance, behavior, or diet, giving you a concise species snapshot.
Conservation status: Tags like “Endangered” or “Least Concern” indicate risk levels and guide conservation or study priorities.
Animals that start with U
| Common name | Scientific name | Conservation status | Habitat (biome + region) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uakari, Bald | Cacajao calvus | VU (2021) | Tropical rainforest — Amazon Basin |
| Uaru Cichlid | Uaru amphiacanthoides | Not Evaluated | Blackwater rivers and tributaries — Amazon Basin |
| Udzungwa Red Colobus | Piliocolobus gordonorum | EN (2019) | Montane and submontane forests — Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania |
| Uganda Mangabey | Lophocebus ugandae | EN (2019) | Tropical forests — Uganda |
| Uguisu | Horornis diphone | LC (2017) | Forests and bamboo groves — East Asia |
| Uinta Chipmunk | Neotamias umbrinus | LC (2016) | Montane forests and shrublands — Western USA |
| Uinta Ground Squirrel | Urocitellus armatus | LC (2016) | Alpine meadows and sagebrush steppe — Western USA |
| Uintatherium | Uintatherium anceps | EX | Prehistoric wetlands and forests — North America |
| Uluguru Bushshrike | Malaconotus alius | CR (2018) | Montane cloud forests — Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania |
| Ultramarine Grosbeak | Cyanoloxia brissonii | LC (2018) | Shrubland and forest edges — South America |
| Ultramarine Lorikeet | Vini ultramarina | EN (2019) | Tropical moist forests and plantations — Marquesas Islands |
| Ulysses Butterfly | Papilio ulysses | Not Evaluated | Tropical rainforest — Australasia |
| Umbrella Octopus | Grimpoteuthis wuelkeri | DD (2020) | Deep-sea abyssal plains — North Atlantic Ocean |
| Umbrellabird, Long-wattled | Cephalopterus penduliger | VU (2020) | Tropical montane cloud forest — Andes (Colombia, Ecuador) |
| Unau | Choloepus didactylus | LC (2014) | Tropical rainforest — South America |
| Underwing Moth, Ultronia | Catocala ultronia | Not Evaluated | Temperate deciduous forests — Eastern North America |
| Unicorn Fish, Orangespine | Naso lituratus | LC (2010) | Coral reefs — Indo-Pacific Ocean |
| Unspotted Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius ridgwayi | LC (2016) | Montane cloud forests — Central and South America |
| Upcher’s Warbler | Hippolais languida | LC (2016) | Arid scrub and open woodland — Middle East and Central Asia |
| Upland Buzzard | Buteo hemilasius | LC (2016) | Steppes, deserts, and plateaus — Central and East Asia |
| Upland Sandpiper | Bartramia longicauda | LC (2016) | Temperate grasslands and prairies — Americas |
| Upside-down Catfish | Synodontis nigriventris | LC (2009) | Freshwater rivers and streams — Congo Basin, Africa |
| Ural Owl | Strix uralensis | LC (2017) | Boreal and mixed forests — Europe and Asia |
| Urial | Ovis vignei | VU (2020) | Temperate grassland and scrubland — Central Asia |
| Urchin, Purple Sea | Strongylocentrotus purpuratus | Not Evaluated | Coastal kelp forests and rocky shores — Pacific North America |
| Uromastyx, Saharan | Uromastyx geyri | Not Evaluated | Arid desert and rocky scrubland — North Africa |
| Urutu Viper | Bothrops alternatus | LC (2021) | Grasslands, swamps, and forests — South America |
| Usambara Eagle-Owl | Bubo vosseleri | VU (2018) | Montane forests — Usambara Mountains, Tanzania |
| Utah Prairie Dog | Cynomys parvidens | EN (2016) | High-elevation grasslands — Utah, USA |
Descriptions
Uakari, Bald
Famous for its bright red, bald face, which indicates good health. This New World monkey lives in large troops in the flooded forests of the western Amazon.
Uaru Cichlid
A peaceful, disc-shaped cichlid popular in aquariums. In the wild, parents secrete a special slime from their bodies to feed their newly hatched young.
Udzungwa Red Colobus
A primate with striking red, white, and black fur, found only in the mountains of Tanzania. It is a leaf-eater with a specialized stomach to digest tough plant matter.
Uganda Mangabey
A medium-sized, dark-furred monkey endemic to Uganda. It lives in large social groups and communicates with a variety of whoops and cackles. It is threatened by deforestation.
Uguisu
Also known as the Japanese Bush Warbler, it is famed in Japan for its beautiful song, a herald of spring. The bird itself is shy and more often heard than seen.
Uinta Chipmunk
A small, striped rodent found at high elevations in the Rocky Mountains. It is an active forager, feeding on seeds, nuts, and berries to store for winter.
Uinta Ground Squirrel
A social rodent that lives in extensive burrow systems. It hibernates for up to eight months of the year, emerging in spring to feed and breed.
Uintatherium
An extinct, rhino-sized mammal from the Eocene epoch. It was a herbivore distinguished by six knobby horns on its skull and large, tusk-like canine teeth.
Uluguru Bushshrike
One of the world’s most endangered birds, this brightly colored bushshrike is found only in a tiny, fragmented forest area, making it extremely vulnerable to habitat loss.
Ultramarine Grosbeak
A striking songbird where males are a deep, vibrant blue, while females are a more subdued brown. They are often found in pairs foraging for seeds and insects.
Ultramarine Lorikeet
A small parrot with stunning blue, purple, and white plumage. Its population has been devastated by the introduction of black rats to its island home.
Ulysses Butterfly
A large, stunning swallowtail butterfly with iridescent blue upper wings that are visible from hundreds of feet away. It is a fast and erratic flier.
Umbrella Octopus
A deep-sea octopus with large, ear-like fins that resemble the ears of Disney’s Dumbo. It hovers above the seafloor, pouncing on small crustaceans and worms.
Umbrellabird, Long-wattled
A spectacular bird named for its large, umbrella-like crest of feathers. The male has a long, feathered wattle hanging from its chest, used in courtship displays.
Unau
Also known as Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth, this nocturnal animal spends nearly its entire life upside down in trees. Its fur often hosts algae, providing camouflage.
Underwing Moth, Ultronia
A nocturnal moth with drab, bark-like forewings that hide brightly colored hindwings. When disturbed, it flashes these vibrant wings to startle potential predators.
Unicorn Fish, Orangespine
A distinctive surgeonfish named for the two bright orange, spine-like plates near its tail. Despite the group name, this particular species lacks a prominent “horn.”
Unspotted Saw-whet Owl
A small, secretive nocturnal owl lacking the spots of its northern relative. It has a cat-like face and preys on large insects, rodents, and sometimes bats.
Upcher’s Warbler
A plain, medium-sized warbler that breeds in semi-desert regions and winters in East Africa. It is known for its complex, melodious song.
Upland Buzzard
One of the largest buzzards, this powerful raptor preys mainly on small mammals like pikas and voles. It often nests on cliffs or rocky outcrops.
Upland Sandpiper
A unique, long-necked shorebird that prefers grassy fields to coastlines. It is known for its distinctive wolf-whistle call and its habit of perching on fence posts.
Upside-down Catfish
This small catfish gets its name from its peculiar habit of swimming and resting upside down. This behavior helps it feed on insects at the water’s surface.
Ural Owl
A large, nocturnal owl with a pale, rounded face and dark eyes. It is an aggressive defender of its nest, known to attack intruders, including humans.
Urial
A species of wild sheep with long legs and a reddish-brown coat. Males are known for their large, curving horns that curl outwards from the top of their head.
Urchin, Purple Sea
A spiny marine invertebrate that plays a crucial role in its ecosystem by grazing on kelp. Its roe, known as uni, is considered a delicacy in many parts of the world.
Uromastyx, Saharan
Also known as the spiny-tailed lizard, this herbivorous reptile uses its thick, spiked tail for defense. It can change color based on temperature to regulate its body heat.
Urutu Viper
A large, venomous pit viper known for its distinctive pattern of dark, C-shaped markings. It is a nocturnal ambush predator, feeding on rodents and other small animals.
Usambara Eagle-Owl
A large, powerful owl endemic to a small mountain range in Tanzania. It is threatened by habitat loss and is known for its deep, booming calls.
Utah Prairie Dog
The smallest species of prairie dog, found only in Utah. They live in complex underground “towns” and are a keystone species, vital to their prairie ecosystem.
