This list includes 40 Common Animals that start with Y, from “Yabby” to “Yuma myotis”. These entries cover mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, useful for teaching, quick reference, and identification.
Common Animals that start with Y are species commonly known by names beginning with the letter Y. A notable example is the “yabby”, an Australian freshwater crustacean familiar in local cuisine and ecology.
Below you’ll find the table with common name, scientific name, order, and habitat/distribution.
Common name: The everyday name you will recognize, helping you find and communicate about species quickly.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives precise species identification so you can match names across languages and sources.
Order: The taxonomic order places each animal in a broader biological group, useful for comparing related species.
Habitat/distribution: Brief notes on where the animal lives and its geographic range, useful for locating species in nature.
Methodology note: Names prioritize widely used common names and verified scientific names for clarity and educational use.
Common Animals that start with Y
| Common name | Scientific name | Order | Habitat/Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yak | Bos grunniens | Artiodactyla | Himalayas; alpine grasslands |
| Yellowfin tuna | Thunnus albacares | Scombriformes | Tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide |
| Yellowtail amberjack | Seriola lalandi | Carangiformes | Temperate and subtropical oceans worldwide |
| Yellowtail snapper | Ocyurus chrysurus | Perciformes | Western Atlantic; coral reefs and tropical waters |
| Yellowjacket | Vespula spp. | Hymenoptera | Temperate regions; varied habitats near humans |
| Yellowhammer | Emberiza citrinella | Passeriformes | Europe and Asia; farmland and open countryside |
| Yellow-bellied marmot | Marmota flaviventris | Rodentia | Western North America; alpine meadows and rocky slopes |
| Yellow mongoose | Cynictis penicillata | Carnivora | Southern Africa; savanna and semi-desert |
| Yellow tang | Zebrasoma flavescens | Acanthuriformes | Central Pacific, especially Hawaii reefs |
| Yellow warbler | Setophaga petechia | Passeriformes | Americas; varied habitats near water |
| Yellow wagtail | Motacilla flava | Passeriformes | Eurasia and Africa; open habitats near water |
| Yellow-bellied slider | Trachemys scripta scripta | Testudines | Southeastern United States; freshwater ponds and rivers |
| Yellow anaconda | Eunectes notaeus | Squamata | South America; swamps, marshes and slow rivers |
| Yellow-bellied sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | Piciformes | North America; woodlands and forests |
| Yellow-throated marten | Martes flavigula | Carnivora | Forests across Asia from Iran to Southeast Asia |
| Yellow-eyed penguin | Megadyptes antipodes | Sphenisciformes | Coastal New Zealand; forested beaches |
| Yellow-lipped sea krait | Laticauda colubrina | Squamata | Indo-Pacific reefs and coastal waters |
| Yellow-billed cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus | Cuculiformes | North America; deciduous woodlands and riparian areas |
| Yellow-billed stork | Mycteria ibis | Ciconiiformes | Sub-Saharan Africa; wetlands and shallow waters |
| Yellow-legged gull | Larus michahellis | Charadriiformes | Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts |
| Yellow-headed caracara | Milvago chimachima | Falconiformes | Central and South America; open habitats and forest edges |
| Yellow-headed blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | Passeriformes | North America; marshes and wetlands |
| Yellow-throated vireo | Vireo flavifrons | Passeriformes | Eastern North America; deciduous forests |
| Yellow-breasted chat | Icteria virens | Passeriformes | North America; dense shrubby habitats |
| Yellow-rumped warbler | Setophaga coronata | Passeriformes | North America; forests, scrub and parks |
| Yellow-vented bulbul | Pycnonotus goiavier | Passeriformes | Southeast Asia; gardens, forests and plantations |
| Yellow-naped amazon | Amazona auropalliata | Psittaciformes | Central America; tropical forests and woodlands |
| Yellow-headed amazon | Amazona oratrix | Psittaciformes | Mexico and Central America; forests and savanna |
| Yellow-eared parrot | Ognorhynchus icterotis | Psittaciformes | Colombian Andes; wet montane forests |
| Yellow-tailed black cockatoo | Zanda funerea | Psittaciformes | Southeastern Australia; forests and woodlands |
| Yellow-crowned night heron | Nyctanassa violacea | Pelecaniformes | Coastal Americas and wetlands |
| Yellow-crowned amazon | Amazona ochrocephala | Psittaciformes | South America; forests and edges |
| Yellow-perch | Perca flavescens | Perciformes | North American lakes and rivers |
| Yellowtail flounder | Limanda ferruginea | Pleuronectiformes | Northwestern Atlantic; sandy seabeds |
| Yabby | Cherax destructor | Decapoda | Australian freshwater rivers and ponds |
| Yapok (water opossum) | Chironectes minimus | Didelphimorphia | Central and South America; freshwater streams and marshes |
| Yuma myotis | Myotis yumanensis | Chiroptera | Western North America; caves, buildings and water bodies |
| Yellow-spotted river turtle | Podocnemis unifilis | Testudines | Amazon Basin; rivers and floodplain lakes |
| Yellow mud turtle | Kinosternon flavescens | Testudines | Central United States; ponds and marshes |
| Yellow cardinal | Gubernatrix cristata | Passeriformes | South America; dry scrub and grasslands |
Descriptions
Yak
Large bovine of high altitudes, domesticated for milk, wool and transport; wild yaks are rarer and adapted to cold, low-oxygen environments.
Yellowfin tuna
Fast, muscular migratory tuna prized for sushi and sport fishing; notable for bright yellow fins and long-distance movements.
Yellowtail amberjack
Powerful pelagic predatory fish, popular with anglers and as sushi (yellowtail); sleek with a yellowish tail.
Yellowtail snapper
Colorful reef snapper valued for food, with yellow stripe and forked tail; common in Caribbean fisheries.
Yellowjacket
Social wasps with black-and-yellow markings, often nesting in ground or structures; aggressive defenders and summer sting risk.
Yellowhammer
Small songbird; males have bright yellow head and breast and a distinctive melodic song.
Yellow-bellied marmot
Large ground squirrel that hibernates, whistles to warn of predators, often sunning on rocks.
Yellow mongoose
Small, social mongoose with yellowish fur; diurnal, lives in colonies and forages for insects and small prey.
Yellow tang
Bright yellow surgeonfish popular in aquariums; grazes algae on coral reefs.
Yellow warbler
Widespread insectivorous songbird noted for its bright yellow plumage and melodious song.
Yellow wagtail
Slim, active insect-eating bird with bright yellow underparts in many subspecies.
Yellow-bellied slider
Common pond turtle with yellow markings on plastron and skin; often basks on logs and rocks.
Yellow anaconda
Large semi-aquatic constrictor that hunts fish and mammals in wetland habitats.
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
A woodpecker that drills neat rows of sap wells to feed on sap and insects; migratory.
Yellow-throated marten
Colorful mustelid with yellow throat and chest, arboreal and omnivorous, known for agility and bold behavior.
Yellow-eyed penguin
Endangered, shy penguin with pale yellow eye ring and band of yellow feathers, usually solitary breeders.
Yellow-lipped sea krait
Distinctive sea snake with yellow upper lip, highly venomous but generally not aggressive; semi-aquatic, often hunts eels.
Yellow-billed cuckoo
Slender migratory bird that feeds on caterpillars and insects; named for its long bill with yellow base.
Yellow-billed stork
Large stork with long bill used for probing; feeds on fish and crustaceans in shallow wetlands.
Yellow-legged gull
Large gull with yellow legs and hooked bill; common around coasts and human-altered habitats.
Yellow-headed caracara
Small raptor that scavenges and hunts insects; recognizable by pale yellow head.
Yellow-headed blackbird
Marsh-dwelling songbird; males have striking yellow head and chest contrasted with black body.
Yellow-throated vireo
Small insect-eating songbird with pale yellow throat and white spectacles.
Yellow-breasted chat
Unusual, large warbler-like songbird with bright yellow breast and varied vocalizations.
Yellow-rumped warbler
Common migratory warbler identifiable by yellow rump patch and varied plumages.
Yellow-vented bulbul
Adaptable, noisy songbird often found near people; olive body with yellow vent.
Yellow-naped amazon
Large green parrot with yellow nape, known for vocal mimicry and threatened by trapping.
Yellow-headed amazon
Striking parrot with yellow head, popular in pet trade and conservation concern in wild.
Yellow-eared parrot
Endangered parrot with bright yellow ear patches, specialized on wax palms for nesting and food.
Yellow-tailed black cockatoo
Large black cockatoo with yellow tail panels and loud calls; feeds on wood-boring insect larvae and seeds.
Yellow-crowned night heron
Stocky, nocturnal heron that feeds on crabs and crustaceans in shallow water at night.
Yellow-crowned amazon
Green parrot with yellow crown; social and vocal, common in many tropical areas.
Yellow-perch
Popular freshwater sport fish with vertical dark bars and a golden-yellow body.
Yellowtail flounder
Flatfish valued commercially; right-eyed flounder with mottled coloration for camouflage.
Yabby
Common freshwater crayfish in Australia, used as bait and food; burrows in sediment and tolerates drought.
Yapok (water opossum)
Unique aquatic marsupial with webbed hind feet and waterproof pouch; hunts aquatic prey.
Yuma myotis
Small insectivorous bat often roosting in colonies near water; common in desert and riparian zones.
Yellow-spotted river turtle
Large freshwater turtle with yellow facial spots, omnivorous and common in Amazonian waterways.
Yellow mud turtle
Small, domed aquatic turtle that favors muddy ponds and slow-moving waters.
Yellow cardinal
Striking songbird with vivid yellow plumage and black markings; endangered due to habitat loss and trapping.
