Collective nouns are specific terms used to describe a collection of animals. For many common species, these terms are widely known, but for others, like the squirrel, the official terms are often surprising and subject to debate. This tradition reflects a historical interest in classifying the natural world. Understanding the recognized terms for a group of squirrels requires looking at both their behavior and the linguistic history that established these names.
The Recognized Collective Nouns for Squirrels
The most widely recognized collective nouns for a group of squirrels are a “scurry” and a “dray,” with each term describing the animals in a different context. A “scurry” is commonly used to describe a group of squirrels moving together, reflecting their characteristic quick, darting, and energetic motion. This term captures the lively activity of multiple squirrels rushing about, often while foraging or playing.
A “dray” refers to a group of squirrels inhabiting a shared nest or den. Since a dray is also the name for the squirrel’s nest—a ball of twigs and leaves typically built high in a tree—referring to a group as a “dray” usually implies a family unit sharing a communal home for safety and warmth.
The Social Context: When Squirrels Group Together
Most tree squirrels are solitary animals for the majority of the year, maintaining distinct territories. Grouping is typically a temporary, behaviorally-driven necessity rather than a permanent social structure. The most common reason for true grouping is communal nesting, which occurs primarily during the colder autumn and winter months.
Gray squirrels often share a drey for thermal benefits, with these groups frequently consisting of related females and sometimes including up to nine individuals. Temporary gatherings also occur during the breeding season, where a female is pursued by multiple males, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as a “mating ball.” Squirrels will also aggregate around concentrated food sources like large nut trees or bird feeders, though this is not considered true grouping.
Tracing the Origins of Collective Nouns
The unique and often descriptive terms used for animal groups stem from linguistic tradition rather than modern scientific classification. Many of these collective nouns originated in the late Middle Ages, specifically from texts designed for the aristocratic class. The most famous source is The Book of St. Albans, a 15th-century treatise on hunting, hawking, and heraldry.
This text established many distinctive terms still used today, often blending observation of animal behavior with linguistic playfulness. While terms like “scurry” are fittingly descriptive of the squirrel’s movement, they were solidified into the language through cultural practice and common usage rather than official decree. These terms persist today through dictionaries and popular culture, marking them as traditional labels rather than formal zoological nomenclature.