Animals that start with W

Wis forWildebeest

Wildebeast, or gnu, are a type of antelope. They live in Africa, and are best known for migrating in large herds each year. Wildebeast are prey to lions, hyenas, cheetahs, and leopards.

Mammals, African animals

Steve Shattuck / CC BY-SA

The willie wagtail, or willy wagtail, is a small, black and white songbird found in Australia and Indonesia. They are called wagtails because of their habit of waggin their tail backwards and forwards as they hop around. They eat insects, and are a common sight in backyards in Australia. They are aggressive and can be seen chasing larger birds and even cats out of their territory.

Birds, Australian animals

Mark Kent / CC BY-SA

Wis forWolf

Scientific name: Canis lupus

The wolf is the wild relative of the dog. They live in forests and sometimes grasslands. Wolves generally hunt deer or any other available animal. A baby wolf is called a puppy.

Canine

Nigel Hoult / CC BY-SA

Wis forWolverine

Scientific name: gulo gulo

The wolverine is the largest member of the weasel family, although they look like small bears. They are found mostly in the northern, cold regions of the world like Alaska and Siberia. They are ferocious hunters and can kill things much larger than they are.

Weasels

Steven Penton / CC BY-SA

Wis forWombat

Scientific name: family: vombatidae

Wombats are a marsupial that lives in Australia. Marsupials are animals that keep their babies in pouches. The wombat's pouch faces backwards so it doesn't fill up with dirt while the mother wombat is digging. Wombats dig large systems of burrows, both to live in and while looking for roots to eat. The closest relative of the wombat is the koala.

Marsupials, Australian animals

hedera.baltica / CC BY-SA

Wis forWoodlouse

Scientific name: porcellio scaber

The woodlouse (also called an armadillo bug, carpenter, cheeselog, doodlebug, pill bug, roly-poly, chuggypig, slater beetle, sow bug or gramersow) is a type of crustacean, and is related to the crab and lobster. They eat dead plants and fallen leaves. Woodlice breathe through gills like fish, which is why you often find them in damp places. Some types of woodlouse can roll themselves up into a tight ball.

Crustaceans

Tony oldroyd / CC BY-SA

Wis forWoodpecker

Scientific name: family: picidae

Woodpeckers are a group of birds found all over the world except Australia, New Zealand and the polar areas. Woodpeckers have very strong, sharp, straight beaks so they can hammer and drill into wood. Their heads are designed so they do not get hurt by their hammering. Woodpeckers live mainly in forests and rainforests. Woodpeckers mainly eat burrowing insects like beetles and grubs that they find inside dead wood and bark on trees.

Birds

pfly / CC BY-SA

Wis forWorm

Scientific name: lumbricus terrestris

Earthworms live under the ground in your garden. They eat fallen leaves and make the soil better for plants to grow in. Worms are slimy, to help them travel through the soil.

Invertebrates