The Complete List of Common Animals That Start With V

This list includes 24 Common Animals that start with V, from “Vagrant shrew” to “Vulturine guineafowl”. It covers familiar birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish found in field guides and teaching materials.

Common animals that start with V are species whose common English names begin with the letter V. Many of these animals appear in folklore and culture, with vultures and vipers serving notable symbolic roles.

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

Common name: The everyday English name helps you quickly recognize and search for each animal across guides and lists.

Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives a precise identifier so you can find consistent species information and avoid ambiguity.

Order: The taxonomic order groups related families and helps you understand broad evolutionary or ecological relationships at a glance.

Habitat/distribution: A brief note on typical habitat and global range helps you know where you might encounter the animal in nature.

Methodology note: Entries prioritize widely used common names and standard scientific names, focusing on species commonly cited in field guides. Use the A–Z index to jump to other letters and explore more animal lists.

Common Animals that start with V

Descriptions

Vulture

Large scavenging birds that eat carrion; important ecosystem cleaners, includes New- and Old-World species.

Vaquita

Critically endangered porpoise endemic to Mexico; smallest porpoise, highly threatened by fishing nets.

Vole

Small, stocky rodents with short tails and strong teeth; prolific breeders and key prey species.

Viper

Venomous snakes with long hinged fangs; includes rattlesnakes and adders, important medically and ecologically.

Vampire bat

Blood-feeding bat that uses heat sensors to find vessels; social, notable in disease ecology.

Vampire squid

Small deep-sea cephalopod with webbed arms; feeds on marine detritus and plankton.

Vervet monkey

Social monkeys with black faces and grey-green fur; adaptable and common near humans.

Vicuña

Wild camelid prized for extremely fine wool; slender, graceful, ancestral to alpaca.

Velvet ant

Actually wingless female wasps with dense hairs; deliver very painful stings and display bright warning colors.

Velvet worm

Soft-bodied, segmented invertebrates that squirt sticky slime to capture prey; an ancient lineage.

Velvet scoter

Sea duck that dives for mollusks and crustaceans; dark plumage and strong diver.

Vine snake

Slender green tree snakes that ambush prey; some species are mildly venomous and rear-fanged.

Viperfish

Fierce-looking predator with huge fang-like teeth and bioluminescent lure for catching prey.

Vireo

Small insect-eating songbirds with plain plumage and melodious calls; many species across the Americas.

Vanga

Diverse family of birds mostly endemic to Madagascar, with varied bills and diets.

Viceroy

Orange-and-black butterfly famous for mimicking monarchs to deter predators.

Vagrant shrew

Tiny, insectivorous shrew with a high metabolism; active day and night, eats insects and worms.

Viperine snake

Water-associated snake that superficially resembles vipers but is non-venomous.

Vampire finch

Small Darwin’s finch that sometimes pecks other birds for blood; also eats seeds and insects.

Vasa parrot

Large dark parrots with unusual breeding biology and loud calls; often kept in aviculture.

Violet-backed starling

Male sports brilliant violet back and metallic plumage; eats fruit and insects.

Vulturine guineafowl

Striking ground bird with blue neck and long plumes; gregarious and runs rather than flies.

Velvetfish

Small, cryptic fish with velvety skin and spines; camouflaged ambush predator.

Veery

Shy thrush with a flute-like song; breeds in moist deciduous forests and migrates south seasonally.