Animals That Start With D
On this page you’ll find a list of amazing animals beginning with d, together with pictures and interesting facts about each animal.
You can find out more about many of the animals (and see pictures and videos) by following the links.
List of Animals Beginning With D
- Individual species whose names start with d, e.g., are included in this list. Dugong, for example, and well-known animal groups that begin with D Dolphins are mentioned several times throughout the novel.
- Individual species’ scientific names and conservation statuses are mentioned.
If you need to find out about terms such as ‘species’, ‘family’ and ‘order’, etc., then check out our guide to animal classification
Dark-eyed Junco
- Scientific name: Junco hyemalis
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The little seed-eating bird known as the dark-eyed junco is native to North America. It has a grey head and (typically) brown back and wings, but its plumage may differ depending on the individual. It lives in the wild, but also likes to live in cities. It may be located all the way north in the summer.
Deer
The deer family, Cervidae, includes hoofed animals. During the breeding season, male deer develop antlers. Antlers are a physical and symbolic sign of the deer’s health and fitness. They’re utilized to battle other males. Antlers are lost during the breeding season. The moose is the world’s biggest deer species.
Degu (Common)
- Scientific name: Octodon degus
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The chinchilla and guinea pig are both rodents, and the common degu is one of them. Only in central Chile can you find it in the wild.
Dhole
- Scientific name: Cuon alpinus
- Conservation status: Endangered
The dog family, Canidae, includes the dhole. Packs of more than 40 individuals can be found.
Dholes are common throughout Asia, however there are few of them and they are separated. Just between 4,500 and 10,500 dholes are thought to remain in the wild today. Rainforests, grasslands, and mountainous areas are among the dhole’s habitats.
Dik-Dik
The genus Madoqua includes the Dik-diks, a little antelope. The female’s alarm call is the source of the name dik-dik. Guenther’s dik-dik (Madoqua guentheri), Kirk’s dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii), Silver dik-dik (Madoqua piacentinii), and Salt’s dik-dikkka are the four species involved.
The conservation status for all but the silver dik-dik is ‘Least Concern,’ except for the silver dik-dik, which has insufficient data.
Dingo
- Scientific name: Canis lupus dingo / Canis dingo
- Conservation status: Vulnerable
The dingo is a gray wolf subspecies (albeit some people think it is a distinct species). It is similar to the domestic dog. Dingoes are the biggest land predators in Australia.
Dipper
In the Americas, Asia, and Europe, dippers are little circular-bodied birds. They have evolved the ability to ‘fly’ underwater since they live near water. Only dipters (also known as “perching birds”) are capable of doing this, which is an order of birds.
The South American rufous-throated dipper has a ‘Vulnerable’ conservation status. All of the remaining dipper species are classified as ‘Least Concern.
Dog (Domestic)
- Scientific name: Canis lupus familiaris / Canis familiaris
- Conservation status: Domesticated
Your pet dog is a subspecies of gray wolf, whether you like it or not! For thousands of years, dogs have been domesticated. Man has employed dogs in a variety of capacities, including hunting, protection, dog sledding (pulling sleds), and animal herding.
Some breeds look very different from one another because dogs have been selectively bred to fulfill certain roles. Most domestic dogs nowadays serve as pets for people and households.
Dolphin
Dolphins are a kind of aquatic mammal that lives in the sea. Unlike fish, they don’t have gills and must therefore swim to the top of the water in order to breathe. While a few whales may subsist in freshwater, the bulk of whales reside in the sea. Dolphins are thought to be highly intelligent animals.
Killer whales (orcas), like dolphins, are actually whales.
Donkey
- Scientific name: Equus africanus asinus
- Conservation status: Domesticated
Donkeys are members of the Equidae family. It has been domesticated for the last 5,000 years. Donkeys are now a more common sight on the planet than 40 million. The donkey’s ancestor is the African wild ass, which is currently only found in zoos.
Dormouse
Dormice belong to the Gliridae family of tiny rodents, which include 29 species. Dormice are mostly found in Europe, with a few in Africa and Asia. During the winter, dormice hibernate.
Dotterel (Eurasian)
- Scientific name: Charadrius morinellus
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The dotterel is a small wader found in Europe. It breeds in mountainous areas and tundra. Unlike most birds, it is the female dotterel that is the most brightly-colored during the breeding season.
The dotterel can be identified by its conspicuous white eye stripe. In the breeding season both males and females have chestnut-brown breasts.
Dove
The Columbidae family includes doves and pigeons. The difference between doves and pigeons is not really scientific. Columbidae are known as doves because they include smaller species. All feral pigeons are descended from the rock dove.
Dragonfly
Large predatory insects known as dragonflies. They may spend many years as nymphs in the water and just a few weeks as adults in the air. The adult dragonflies are vibrant, energetic fliers who live for a long time.
Drill
- Scientific name: Mandrillus leucophaeus
- Conservation status: Endangered
The monkey in question is a mandrill cousin. Both species used to be classified as baboons, but are now classified as Mandrillus. In Nigeria, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea, drills can be found in the rainforests.
Duck
Ducks exist in both fresh and salt water environments and are mid-sized aquatic birds. The majority of ducks have spherical bodies and long, arched necks. Male plumage is frequently more colorful than female plumage.
Depending on their diets and schedules, different duck species have varied adaptations. Diving ducks dive below the water to forage, while dabblers feed on the surface. Fish hunting is a specialty of certain diving ducks.
Dugong
- Scientific name: Dugong dugon
- Conservation status: Vulnerable
The dugong is a marine mammal that lives in the Indo-Pacific region (which includes the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Oceans). The dugong is not found in freshwater habitats, unlike the manatees, its closest living relatives. Herbivores, dugongs eat primarily sea grass.
Duiker
The cephalophinae subfamily of antelopes includes duikers, which are medium-sized antelopes. Duiker comes in a total of 22 different species. The rainforests of sub-Saharan Africa are home to the majority of duikers.
Dunlin
- Scientific name: Calidris alpina
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The dunlin is a small wading bird that migrates from its Arctic and sub-Arctic breeding grounds to warmer coastal regions of Europe, America and Asia in the winter. It has the typical rounded body, long legs and long bill of a wader, and is often seen in large flocks.
Animals That Start With D: Conclusion
We hope that this page has helped you find out about some amazing animals beginning with d.