What Is A Group Of Dolphins Called? (Collective Nouns)

Dolphins live aquatic life. People think they are fishes, and some would argue with you that they indeed are.

Yes, they both have fins and live in water, but their differences vary with a clear margin in between.

Just like other collective names for animals when they gather, what is a group of dolphins called?

A pod best defines a group of dolphins. It is also the most common term and is used in place of other collective nouns for these amazing creatures.

Dolphins move in two or more groups. Hardly will you see a single mammal moving, as they are often vulnerable to predators like sharks and the like.

While fishes create oxygen from water, dolphins leap for fresh air above sea level and dive back in.

But the one fact is clear and certain; you will barely see a single dolphin moving underneath the water.

This is why there are multiple terms used to describe the gathering of these creatures. 

Why Dolphins Move in Groups

Every documentary on dolphins makes sure to give reasons why these creatures move in groups.

The obvious fact is that they are social mammals vulnerable to wild aquatic creatures and hazardous scenarios. Thus, that is just their way of living.

A newly-birthed dolphin lives with the family for its entire lifetime. These creatures are known to have paired themselves and go about their daily activities in quantity.

Some go hunting for food and essentials; others come together to form a community.

For shelter. For amenities. It’s just their way of living. If you see a dolphin moving alone without any pack or company, then it is huge and dangerous enough to fetch for survival.

Collective Nouns For Dolphins: What is a Group of Dolphins Called?

Below are the collective nouns used to describe a group of dolphins as these aquatic mammals move about their daily activities.

A Pod of Dolphins

A pod is the most common of all names and is often used in place of others in academics and descriptive instances.

A pod of dolphins may contain anywhere between two to thirty members. A superpod consists of up to a thousand members. You may find one where there is a surplus food supply.

Friends and families connect and form teams among themselves, communicating and preying on food.

A School of Dolphins

Since dolphins live in water and are usually mistaken for fish, people often describe a group of dolphins/whales as a school.

Although fishes take up the name “school,” it is a common term used in describing an experience with these lovely creatures.

Example: I saw a school of dolphins on my way home.

A Flock of Dolphins

Flock is often used to describe other animals but can be interchanged with a group of dolphins to give the right expression.

It is most common for dolphins in their habitat to play and come together to form a community.

Example: The flock of dolphins looks so lovely; I’d go home with one if I were allowed to.

A Team of Dolphins

One reason why you’ll find these lovely creatures attractive is their alertness and vibrant way of communicating.

Dolphins are super active when they notice the abundance of food in a particular area.

They whistle, squeal, and make other types of sounds to pass messages across to each other.

Dolphins, in such scenarios, are a team. And they never cease to amaze beholders when they act as one.

Example: I saw a team of dolphins on their way to fetch food.

A Display of Dolphins

A display will amaze you more than some of those TV shows you term favorite. You must have seen one on the TV or in the sea. 

A display best describes a set of leaping dolphins diving back into the water playfully and soundly.

They do this to steal the show and overwhelm people around with excitement. Dolphins can be so lovely when they are a Display.

Example: I witnessed a display of dolphins at the dark hour of the night. 

A Herd of Dolphins

Since held best describes a set or two huge animals, it can also be used in place of a pod.

Dolphins are huge mammals with large fins and conical-shaped teeth big enough to chop down food before swallowing.

Example: A herd of dolphins swam through the water at Stamford Bridge.

Do Dolphins Leave Their Groups?

As said earlier, finding a single dolphin is more like an impossible task. Does this mean they don’t walk alone? Have you ever come across one?

In places like America and Canada, adopting a dolphin is safe and possible with the right measures.

The penalty for harming a dolphin/mammal in the Gulf of Mexico. You can only find one dolphin if it is adopted by home and is kept in a comfortable mini habitat. ¹

Wrap Up

Dolphins are attractive creatures. You always want to talk about seeing them at the sea or a recreational spot.

A pod is more common than other names for a group of dolphins, and it comes with subcategories. 

Dolphins move together to hunt and protect each other and are social mammals with similar emotional traits as those in humans.

People often use the term school; they think dolphins are fishes because they have similar features and live in the water. 

But they aren’t. And they must move in groups for survival. It is natural.

1. Fort M., 2022. $5,000 Reward for Information Regarding Dolphin Stabbed to Death in Gulf of Mexico.[online] ALDF.