Animals That Start with D | List, Exercise & Examples

List of Animals Starting with D

Here’s a table of animals that start with "D," organized with their type, habitat, and an interesting fact:

Animal	Type	Where It Lives	Interesting Fact
Darter	Bird	Asia, Australia	Darters are also called snakebirds.
Deer	Mammal	Forests, Grasslands	Deer have antlers that shed and regrow yearly.
Dhole	Mammal (Wild Dog)	Asia (Forests, Grasslands)	Dholes are social and live in packs.
Dingo	Mammal (Wild Dog)	Australia	Dingoes are wild dogs native to Australia.
Dodo	Bird (Extinct)	Mauritius (Indian Ocean)	Dodos went extinct in the 1600s.
Dog	Mammal (Domestic)	Worldwide	Dogs are known as "man's best friend."
Dolphin	Marine Mammal	Oceans and Rivers	Dolphins are intelligent and playful animals.
Donkey	Mammal (Domestic)	Farms, Grasslands	Donkeys are strong animals used for carrying loads.
Dormouse	Mammal (Rodent)	Europe, Africa, Asia	Dormice hibernate during winter.
Dove	Bird	Worldwide	Doves are symbols of peace and love.
Dragonfly	Insect	Near Water (Worldwide)	Dragonflies have excellent flying skills.
Dromedary	Mammal (Camel)	Deserts (Middle East, Africa)	Dromedaries have one hump to store fat.
Duck	Bird	Worldwide (Wetlands)	Ducks have waterproof feathers.
Duck-billed Platypus	Mammal	Australia (Rivers, Lakes)	The platypus lays eggs but is a mammal.
Dugong	Marine Mammal	Warm Coastal Waters	Dugongs are related to manatees and eat seagrass.

Dolphin: Intelligent marine mammals known for their playful nature and ability to communicate.
Dodo: An extinct bird from Mauritius that symbolizes species extinction due to human activity.
Dog: One of the most loyal animals and commonly kept as a pet worldwide.
Dhole: A highly social and vocal wild dog species found in Asia.
Dugong: A gentle marine mammal that feeds on underwater seagrass.

Animal names starting with "D" are often used in idioms and common phrases. Here are a few examples:

Dog days: Very hot summer days.
Dog-eat-dog: A competitive, harsh situation.
Deer in headlights: Someone who is shocked or frozen in fear.
Dead as a dodo: Something that is completely gone or outdated.
Dragonfly effect: Small changes that create a big impact, like the wings of a dragonfly.

Common Errors

Here are some common mistakes ESL learners make when using animal names:

The dolphin is considered one of the most intelligent animals.

The dodo is a well-known extinct bird.

The dromedary camel lives in deserts and has one hump.

Dogs and donkeys are common domestic animals.

The dove is a bird that symbolizes peace and love.