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17 Animals That Start With U

By Eddie Chevrel

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Updated on

How many animals do you know that start with the letter U? We’ve gathered them all for you in this post, along with information and facts – for the shy Ural owl to the motionless uromastyx, right through to the Ulysses butterfly and the urchin.

So without further ado, here is the list of animals that start with the letter U.

Animals Starting With The Letter U – The Complete List

  • Uakari
  • Uganda Kob
  • Uguisu
  • Uinta Chipmunk
  • Uinta Ground Squirrel
  • Ulysses Butterfly
  • Umbrella Bird
  • Unau
  • Unicornfish
  • Upupa
  • Ural owl
  • Urchin
  • Urial
  • Uromastyx
  • Urraca
  • Urutu Snake
  • Utonagan

Uakari

https://youtu.be/VMpF6jvMYIQ

Uakaris are monkeys native to the rainforests of Central and South America. They’re named for their distinctive vocalizations, which sound like a chorus of “oohs.” They’re also known for their bright pink faces, making them easy to identify. Their fur is often brown or dark grey.

Uganda Kob

uganda kob

The Uganda Kob is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern Africa. It has long backward horns, and its coat is typically reddish-brown on top with white underparts. The male grows a large beard during the winter months.

Uguisu

uguisu japanese bush warbler

The Uguisu is a small Japanese songbird with a red breast and gray wings. It’s known for making a high-pitched call similar to the sound of a squeaking door hinge or rusty hinge; hence its nickname: “the nightingale.”

Uinta Chipmunk

uinta chimpmunk

The Uinta chipmunk is a small rodent native to the Uinta Mountains of Utah, which is where it gets its name. It’s brown and white, with a black stripe running down its back. The Uinta chipmunk is often mistaken for other species of chipmunks, but its tail and ears can distinguish it: the tail is long and bushy, while the ears are small and rounded.

Uinta Ground Squirrel

Uinta ground squirrel

Also native to Utah, the Uinta ground squirrel has a distinctive orange stripe that goes from its nose to its shoulder blades. Its tail is striped in two colors: white and black. This squirrel lives in burrows that it digs itself or in abandoned prairie dog holes; it spends most of its time underground.

Ulysses Butterfly

Ulysses butterfly

The Ulysses butterfly is named after Odysseus’ voyage home from Troy in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey; this butterfly was believed by some ancient Greeks to be an omen of good luck and success in battle. This butterfly has blue wings with black bands across them; they are also covered with yellow spots. It can be found throughout Europe.

Umbrella Bird

The Umbrella bird is a large bird found in tropical forests. It has a wingspan of up to 2 feet and prefers to feed on the nectar of flowers, but it will also eat insects. The Umbrella bird is known for its unique feathers, which grow out of its back like an umbrella. This gives it its name and its ability to fly through rainstorms without getting wet because its feathers repel water.

Unau

unau

The Unau is a small mammal native to Madagascar. They have been hunted almost to extinction by humans due to their taste and medicinal properties (they were believed to cure cancer). They are currently listed as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Unicornfish

unicorn fish

The Unicornfish is one of the most colorful fish species globally; it has been described as having “a rainbow on its side.” It can be found throughout the Pacific Ocean at depths between 30 and 120 meters deep; they are known for feeding on shrimp and other small crustaceans. Because they live so deep in the ocean, they do not need much light or oxygen.

Upupa

upapa

This is a type of bird that lives in Africa and South America. It is also known as the hoopoe or the hornbill. The male upupa has a curved bill to dig out insects from the ground. The female Upupa lays her eggs in a nest built by an animal called a meerkat, which is also known as a suricate or mongoose.

Ural owl

ural owl

This type of owl lives in Russia and other countries in Europe, but it can be found as far west as Britain and Ireland. Once considered an endangered species, it has now made a comeback due to conservation efforts such as those put forth by the World Wildlife Federation (WWF).

Urchin

This sea creature is related to starfish and sea urchins but differentiates itself by having five arms instead of ten or more arms like some other species do. They are tiny (only 1-2 inches long).

Urial

This is a type of deer that lives in the mountains of central Asia. It has brown fur and large antlers, which it uses to fight other males during mating season. The urial is known for its ability to whistle through its nose, which it does to attract mates.

Uromastyx

uromastyx colorful

This reptile is native to North Africa and the Middle East. It has a long tail, sharp claws, and spikes on its back that protect it from predators like lions or tigers. The uromastyx can also change colors depending on how much light there is in its environment, which helps it blend in better with its surroundings so predators can’t see it as quickly when hunting for food.

Urraca

urraca

This bird lives in South America, where they eat insects and fruit seeds all day! They have bright orange feathers on their heads that make them easy to spot when they’re flying overhead, but if you ever get close enough to touch one (which would be dangerous)

Urutu Snake (Vipera ursinii)

The urutu snake is a venomous viper found in Brazil and Argentina. The name “urutu” comes from a Tupi word meaning “big snake” or “giant snake.” It can grow up to 2 meters (6 feet) long and is dark brown or black with light yellow spots on its back. It has a triangular-shaped head and nearly round pupils. The urutu lives on the forest floor, but it spends most of its time hiding under rocks or logs to avoid predators. Its diet consists mainly of rodents, lizards, and other small animals.

Utonagan

The utonagan is a domesticated dog breed whose name means “wolf dog” in Ojibwe, one of Canada’s Native American languages. It was created in the 1970s by crossing Alaskan malamutes with huskies to create an animal with the endurance of a husky but with the strength of an Alaskan malamute. The average weight for this breed varies between 30 and 40 kilograms (66-88 pounds).

Conclusion – Animals Starting With the Letter U

Did you enjoy this list of animals starting with the letter U? Thank you for making it to the end!

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About Eddie Chevrel

Eddie Chevrel is an animal journalist and the founder of ThePetSavvy. He's very passionate about exotic pets and spends most of his free time doing research, meeting, and interviewing people working with animals. Learn more about The Pet Savvy's Editorial Process.