Here you’ll find 30 Animals that start with V that begin with V, organized from “Vampire Bat” to “Vulturine Guineafowl”. They span mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and insects, and work well for teaching, quick reference, or casual reading.
Animals that start with V are common-name groupings of species whose English names begin with the letter V. Many attract attention because of memorable examples like the vampire bat, famous in folklore and biology.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, Description, and Conservation status.
Common name: The everyday name for each species, so you can recognize and search for animals quickly and easily.
Scientific name: The accepted Latin binomial that gives precise species identity and helps you cross-check scientific references.
Habitat: Concise biome and regional summary showing where the species lives, helping you understand its ecological context.
Description: A brief one- to two-sentence note about appearance, behavior, or notable traits to give you a quick species snapshot.
Conservation status: IUCN-style tag or similar showing risk level, so you can assess conservation concern at a glance.
Animals that start with V
| Name | Scientific name | Conservation status | Habitat & region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vaquita | Phocoena sinus | Critically Endangered | Shallow coastal waters — northern Gulf of California, Mexico |
| Vampire Bat | Desmodus rotundus | Least Concern | Tropical and subtropical forests — Mexico to South America |
| Vicuña | Vicugna vicugna | Least Concern | High-altitude grasslands (Altiplano) — Andes Mountains |
| Vervet Monkey | Chlorocebus pygerythrus | Least Concern | Savannas, woodlands, and forests — Eastern and Southern Africa |
| Viper | Viperidae family | Not evaluated | Global, except Antarctica, Australia, and other isolated landmasses |
| Vole | Arvicolinae subfamily | Not evaluated | Grasslands, tundra, and woodlands — Northern Hemisphere |
| Verreaux’s Eagle | Aquila verreauxii | Least Concern | Mountainous regions — Africa and the Middle East |
| Viceroy Butterfly | Limenitis archippus | Least Concern | Meadows and wetlands — North America |
| Vampire Squid | Vampyroteuthis infernalis | Least Concern | Deep-sea tropical and temperate oceans — worldwide |
| Vine Snake | Ahaetulla nasuta | Least Concern | Rainforests and woodlands — South and Southeast Asia |
| Viscacha | Lagostomus maximus | Least Concern | Grasslands (Pampas) — South America |
| Viperfish | Chauliodus sloani | Least Concern | Deep-sea mesopelagic zone — worldwide |
| Velvet Worm | Onychophora phylum | Not evaluated | Humid terrestrial habitats — Southern Hemisphere |
| Victoria Crowned Pigeon | Goura victoria | Near Threatened | Lowland forests and swamps — New Guinea |
| Veery | Catharus fuscescens | Least Concern | Deciduous forests — North America, winters in South America |
| Velvet Scoter | Melanitta fusca | Vulnerable | Coastal waters and tundra lakes — Europe and Asia |
| Verdin | Auriparus flaviceps | Least Concern | Desert scrub — Southwestern US and Mexico |
| Vireo | Vireonidae family | Not evaluated | Woodlands and forests — The Americas |
| Vanga | Vangidae family | Not evaluated | Forests and scrubland — primarily Madagascar |
| Variable Harlequin Frog | Atelopus varius | Critically Endangered | Montane rainforest streams — Costa Rica and Panama |
| Velvet Ant | Mutillidae family | Not evaluated | Deserts and sandy areas — worldwide |
| Violet-backed Starling | Cinnyricinclus leucogaster | Least Concern | Woodlands and savanna — Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Vulturine Guineafowl | Acryllium vulturinum | Least Concern | Arid grasslands and savanna — Northeast Africa |
| Volcano Rabbit | Romerolagus diazi | Endangered | High-altitude pine forests — Slopes of Mexican volcanoes |
| Vampire Ground Finch | Geospiza septentrionalis | Vulnerable | Wolf and Darwin Islands — Galápagos Islands |
| Vasa Parrot | Coracopsis vasa | Least Concern | Forests and savannas — Madagascar and Comoros |
| Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | Least Concern | Open woodlands and mountains — Western North America |
| Variegated Fairy-wren | Malurus lamberti | Least Concern | Scrublands and heath — Australia |
| Vampire Tetra | Hydrolycus scomberoides | Not evaluated | River basins — Amazon Basin, South America |
| Velvet Belly Lanternshark | Etmopterus spinax | Least Concern | Deep waters — Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea |
Descriptions
Vaquita
The world’s smallest porpoise, the vaquita is nearly extinct due to illegal fishing nets. It has distinctive dark rings around its eyes and lips.
Vampire Bat
Famous for its unique diet, this bat feeds on the blood of other animals, typically livestock. It uses sharp incisors to make a small, painless incision.
Vicuña
A wild ancestor of the alpaca, the vicuña is prized for its extremely fine and valuable wool. They live in family groups on the high Andean plains.
Vervet Monkey
A social monkey known for its complex communication, including distinct alarm calls for predators like leopards, eagles, and snakes. It has a distinctive black face.
Viper
A large family of venomous snakes recognized by their long, hinged fangs. This group includes adders, rattlesnakes, and pit vipers, found in diverse habitats.
Vole
Small, stout-bodied rodents that resemble mice but have shorter tails and smaller ears. They are prolific breeders and create extensive runway systems under grass or snow.
Verreaux’s Eagle
A large, powerful eagle with glossy black plumage that specializes in hunting rock hyraxes. They are known for their dramatic, acrobatic courtship flights.
Viceroy Butterfly
Famous for its Batesian mimicry of the toxic Monarch butterfly, which helps deter predators. Its caterpillars feed on willows and poplars.
Vampire Squid
Not a true squid, this unique cephalopod lives in the dark, oxygen-minimum zone. It uses glowing arm tips and a webbed cloak to defend itself.
Vine Snake
An extremely slender, arboreal snake that mimics hanging vines. It has a pointed snout and excellent binocular vision for hunting lizards and frogs.
Viscacha
A large, social rodent resembling a long-tailed rabbit. They live in extensive colonial burrow systems known as “viscacheras” and are active at dawn and dusk.
Viperfish
A fearsome deep-sea predator with a huge mouth and long, needle-like teeth so large they don’t fit inside its mouth, earning it its name.
Velvet Worm
Ancient, caterpillar-like creatures often considered “living fossils.” They subdue prey by shooting a sticky, glue-like slime from two antennae on their head.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
One of the world’s largest and most spectacular pigeons, recognized by its elegant, blue lace-like crest, red eyes, and deep “boom” call.
Veery
A medium-sized thrush known for its ethereal, spiraling, flute-like song, often heard at dusk. It has a warm, reddish-brown back and lightly spotted breast.
Velvet Scoter
A large sea duck with velvety-black plumage in males. It dives for mollusks and crustaceans, often in large flocks during winter migration.
Verdin
A tiny, energetic bird with a bright yellow head and a sharp bill. Verdins build intricate, spherical nests to protect against predators and extreme desert temperatures.
Vireo
A family of small to medium-sized songbirds, typically with greenish or grayish plumage. They are known for their persistent, often monotonous songs delivered from treetops.
Vanga
A diverse family of birds exhibiting remarkable adaptive radiation in bill shape, from stout and hooked to long and curved, for different feeding niches.
Variable Harlequin Frog
A brilliantly colored toad, decimated by the chytrid fungus and habitat loss. Its vibrant patterns warn predators of its potent skin toxins.
Velvet Ant
Despite the name, these are wasps, not ants. The wingless females have a notoriously painful sting, earning them the nickname “cow killer.”
Violet-backed Starling
A small starling with striking sexual dimorphism. The male has a stunning, iridescent violet back and white belly, while the female is brown and streaked.
Vulturine Guineafowl
The largest and most striking species of guineafowl, named for its vulture-like bare head and neck. It is highly social and often forages in large flocks.
Volcano Rabbit
The world’s second-smallest rabbit, it is a rare species found only near four volcanoes in central Mexico. It communicates using high-pitched squeaks rather than thumping.
Vampire Ground Finch
A sharp-beaked finch famous for its unusual habit of pecking at larger seabirds, such as boobies, and drinking their blood to supplement its diet.
Vasa Parrot
A medium-sized, dark grey parrot known for its unique breeding biology where females are dominant and males have a prominent, seasonal cloacal protrusion.
Violet-green Swallow
A small, agile swallow with an iridescent violet-green back and bright white underparts. It is an aerial insectivore, catching its food in mid-air.
Variegated Fairy-wren
A small, active bird where breeding males display vibrant blue and chestnut plumage. They live in cooperative family groups that defend a territory together.
Vampire Tetra
A predatory freshwater fish named for two prominent, fang-like teeth that protrude from its lower jaw, which it uses to impale its prey.
Velvet Belly Lanternshark
A small deep-sea shark whose black belly contains light-producing photophores. This bioluminescence helps camouflage it from predators looking up from below.
