The Complete List of Common Animals That Start With M

This list includes 54 Common Animals that start with M, from “Macaque” to “Myna”. These animals include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates found around the world. Use this collection for quick identification, classroom activities, and basic reference.

Common Animals that start with M are familiar species whose English names begin with the letter M, often used in field guides and education. For example, the macaque is a widely known primate that often lives close to human settlements.

Below you’ll find the table with common name, scientific name, order, and habitat/distribution.

Common name: The widely used English name for the animal, so you can quickly recognize it or search for more information.

Scientific name: The Latin binomial used by scientists; you can use it to confirm species and find precise information.

Order: The taxonomic order groups related animals and helps you see broad evolutionary relationships and similar traits.

Habitat/distribution: A brief note on where the animal lives and its geographic range, helping you judge where you might find it.

Methodology note: Entries use widely used common names paired with standard scientific names and concise habitat notes for clarity and classroom use.

For a full series, use the A–Z index page to jump to other letters and related lists.

Common Animals that start with M

Common name	Scientific name	Order	Habitat/Distribution	Description
Macaque	Macaca mulatta	Primates	Asia; forests and urban areas	Social Old World monkey frequently found near people, adaptable to forests and cities.
Magpie	Pica pica	Passeriformes	Eurasia; open habitats	Black-and-white corvid known for intelligence, noisy calls and bold behavior.
Magellanic penguin	Spheniscus magellanicus	Sphenisciformes	South America coasts; temperate islands	Medium penguin that nests in burrows and forms coastal colonies.
Macaroni penguin	Eudyptes chrysolophus	Sphenisciformes	Sub-Antarctic islands; rocky shores	Crested penguin with bright yellow head plumes and raucous colonies.
Mahi-mahi	Coryphaena hippurus	Carangiformes	Tropical & subtropical oceans; epipelagic	Colorful, fast-growing fish prized by anglers and chefs.
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	Anseriformes	Northern Hemisphere; freshwater wetlands	Familiar dabbling duck and ancestor of many domestic breeds.
Malayan tapir	Tapirus indicus	Perissodactyla	Southeast Asia; rainforests	Large black-and-white mammal with a short trunk used for browsing.
Manatee	Trichechus manatus	Sirenia	Caribbean & Americas; rivers and coasts	Gentle “sea cow” that grazes on seagrass and aquatic plants.
Manta ray	Manta birostris	Myliobatiformes	Tropical oceans; pelagic	Giant filter-feeding ray with wing-like pectoral fins and broad mouth.
Mandarin duck	Aix galericulata	Anseriformes	East Asia; woodland ponds	Spectacularly colored duck often kept in parks and ornamental ponds.
Mandrill	Mandrillus sphinx	Primates	Central African rainforests	Large, colorful-faced monkey with brilliant blue and red facial coloration.
Maned wolf	Chrysocyon brachyurus	Carnivora	South American grasslands	Tall-legged red canid with a mane, solitary and long-legged.
Marabou stork	Leptoptilos crumenifer	Ciconiiformes	Sub-Saharan Africa; savannas and wetlands	Large scavenging stork with a bare head and heavy bill.
Markhor	Capra falconeri	Artiodactyla	Central Asian mountains; rocky slopes	Wild goat notable for dramatically spiraled horns.
Marmot	Marmota marmota	Rodentia	Eurasian Alps; alpine meadows	Large ground squirrel that hibernates and lives in family colonies.
Marsupial mole	Notoryctes typhlops	Notoryctemorphia	Australian deserts; sandy soils	Small blind burrowing marsupial adapted to life in desert sands.
Masked booby	Sula dactylatra	Suliformes	Tropical oceans; nesting islands	Large white seabird with a dark facial mask, nests on islands.
Meadowlark	Sturnella magna	Passeriformes	North America; grasslands and fields	Melodic songbird often seen perched on posts in open country.
Meerkat	Suricata suricatta	Carnivora	Southern Africa; arid plains	Small social mongoose known for sentry behavior and cooperative groups.
Mediterranean moray	Muraena helena	Anguilliformes	Eastern Atlantic & Mediterranean; rocky reefs	Greenish moray eel that hides in crevices and hunts at night.
Mexican free-tailed bat	Tadarida brasiliensis	Chiroptera	Americas; caves and urban areas	Fast-flying bat that forms enormous colonies in caves and bridges.
Milkfish	Chanos chanos	Gonorynchiformes	Indo-Pacific coasts; lagoons and estuaries	Silvery tropical fish important in aquaculture and coastal fisheries.
Minnow	Phoxinus phoxinus	Cypriniformes	Europe & Asia; streams and rivers	Small schooling freshwater fish often used as bait.
Mink	Neovison vison	Carnivora	North America & introduced Europe; rivers	Semi-aquatic weasel with dense fur, associated with waterways.
Minke whale	Balaenoptera acutorostrata	Cetacea	Global temperate seas; offshore waters	One of the smaller baleen whales, common in cooler oceans.
Mole	Talpa europaea	Eulipotyphla	Europe; grasslands and gardens	Burrowing insectivorous mammal that makes molehills in lawns.
Monkfish	Lophius piscatorius	Lophiiformes	Northeast Atlantic; demersal muddy bottoms	Benthic predator with a huge mouth, popular in seafood markets.
Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	Gruiformes	Eurasia & Africa; freshwater wetlands	Secretive waterbird with a red frontal shield and long toes for walking reeds.
Moose	Alces alces	Artiodactyla	Northern Hemisphere; boreal forests and wetlands	The largest deer, identifiable by palmate antlers and long legs.
Moray eel	Gymnothorax funebris	Anguilliformes	Tropical reefs; crevices and rocky areas	Snakelike reef predator often seen peeking from holes in coral.
Morpho butterfly	Morpho peleides	Lepidoptera	Central & South America; rainforests	Large iridescent-blue butterfly admired for dazzling wing color.
Mosquitofish	Gambusia affinis	Cyprinodontiformes	Americas; ponds and ditches	Small hardy fish introduced to control mosquitoes, very prolific.
Mouse	Mus musculus	Rodentia	Worldwide; human habitats	Small adaptable rodent commonly found in houses, farms and fields.
Mule deer	Odocoileus hemionus	Artiodactyla	Western North America; forests & shrublands	Deer with large mule-like ears and characteristic bounding gait.
Mullet	Mugil cephalus	Mugiliformes	Worldwide coastal waters; estuaries and lagoons	Common coastal fish often seen feeding in shallow waters or schools.
Myna	Acridotheres tristis	Passeriformes	South Asia; introduced worldwide urban areas	Bold starling with yellow eye patch, thrives in cities and farms.
Mountain goat	Oreamnos americanus	Artiodactyla	North American mountains; alpine cliffs	Sure-footed white goat adapted to steep, rocky high-elevation terrain.
Mountain lion	Puma concolor	Carnivora	Americas; mountains and forests	Large solitary cat also called cougar or puma, adaptable predator.
Mountain zebra	Equus zebra	Perissodactyla	Southern Africa; rocky grasslands	Zebra species adapted to mountainous habitats with narrow striping.
Mudskipper	Periophthalmus argentilineatus	Gobiiformes	Indo-Pacific mangroves and mudflats	Amphibious fish that “walks” on mud and breathes air.
Mussel	Mytilus edulis	Mytilida	North Atlantic coasts; rocky shores	Filter-feeding bivalve that forms dense beds on rocks and pilings.
Muscovy duck	Cairina moschata	Anseriformes	Central & South America; forests and wetlands	Large duck often domesticated, noted for red facial caruncles.
Monarch butterfly	Danaus plexippus	Lepidoptera	North America; open fields and milkweed	Famous migratory orange-and-black butterfly that feeds on milkweed.
Moon jelly	Aurelia aurita	Semaeostomeae	Coastal temperate waters worldwide; planktonic	Common translucent jellyfish with a round bell and simple shape.
Moor frog	Rana arvalis	Anura	Europe & Asia; wetlands and moorland	Small brown frog often found in boggy moors and shallow ponds.
Mediterranean monk seal	Monachus monachus	Carnivora	Mediterranean & eastern Atlantic coasts; sea caves	One of the world’s rarest seals, lives in sea caves and rocky shores.
Mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos	Passeriformes	North America; gardens and woodlands	Vocal songbird famous for mimicking other birds and environmental sounds.
Montagu’s harrier	Circus pygargus	Accipitriformes	Europe & Africa; open farmland and marshes	Slim raptor that hunts low over fields and migrates long distances.
Mountain bluebird	Sialia currucoides	Passeriformes	Western North America; open montane habitats	Small sky-blue thrush often seen over mountain meadows.
Mudpuppy	Necturus maculosus	Caudata	Eastern North America; freshwater rivers and lakes	Aquatic salamander that retains external gills and lives underwater.
Mud turtle	Kinosternon subrubrum	Testudines	Eastern North America; ponds and marshes	Small freshwater turtle with a domed shell and aquatic habits.
Muskrat	Ondatra zibethicus	Rodentia	North American wetlands; marshes and rivers	Semi-aquatic rodent that builds lodges and feeds on aquatic plants.
Muskox	Ovibos moschatus	Artiodactyla	Arctic tundra; Greenland & North America	Stocky, shaggy bovine adapted to extreme cold with strong social herds.
Mute swan	Cygnus olor	Anseriformes	Eurasia; lakes and rivers, introduced worldwide	Large white swan with orange bill, often tame around parks and ponds.