Mammal
Kangaroos hop on their big back feet and use their strong tail for balance. A baby kangaroo, called a joey, grows up in its mom’s pouch.
Lives in: Grasslands
HomeAnimals A–ZLetter K
Animals That Start With K: List, Facts & Free Coloring Pages
From bouncy kangaroos to sleepy koalas, the letter K has some favorite animals to meet. Say the K sound together, read a fun fact or two, then print the free coloring page. Here is our list of animals that start with the letter K, perfect when a little one asks what animal starts with K.
12animals
1sounds
3free pages
Letter sound
What Sound Does the Letter K Make?
The letter K makes one sound, the quick click you hear at the start of kangaroo and kite. It is the same sound the letter C makes in cat. Tap any word to hear it.
Kk
Say it together
K is a quick, crisp sound that pops out with a little puff of air. Practice with the words on the right.
/k/
K sound
Lift the back of your tongue, then let a little puff of air pop out: “k, k, k”.
Feel the puffHold your hand by your mouth and feel /k/ pop.
Hop like a kangarooHop once for every K word you hear.
Play I spyFind three things at home that start with K.
Animal list
12 Animals That Start With the Letter K
Lots of K animals come from Australia and New Zealand, plus a few from the sea. Read each name out loud and listen for the K sound. Every one of these animals with K has a short fact you can read aloud.
Mammal
Koalas sleep for most of the day, often 18 hours or more. They eat almost nothing but eucalyptus leaves.
Lives in: ForestsBird
Kiwis are birds from New Zealand that cannot fly. Their nostrils are at the tip of their long beak to help them sniff out worms.
Lives in: ForestsMammal
Killer whales, also called orcas, are really the biggest kind of dolphin. They live and hunt together in family groups called pods.
Lives in: OceanBird
King penguins are the second biggest penguins, after emperor penguins. Parents keep their egg warm by holding it on top of their feet.
Lives in: AntarcticaReptile
The Komodo dragon is the biggest lizard in the world. It lives on just a few islands in Indonesia.
Lives in: GrasslandsBird
Kingfishers sit on branches over the water and watch for fish. Then they dive in headfirst to catch one.
Lives in: Rivers & swampsBird
Kookaburras are Australian birds with a loud call that sounds like laughing. They often call early in the morning and at sunset.
Lives in: ForestsFish
Koi are colorful fish that people keep in ponds. With good care, they can live for more than 25 years.
Lives in: LakesInsect
Katydids are green insects that look a lot like leaves. Their name comes from their song, which some people hear as “katy did, katy didn’t”.
Lives in: GardensMammal
Kinkajous are furry rainforest animals that hold onto branches with their tail. They use their long tongue to lick up nectar and honey.
Lives in: RainforestsCrustacean
Krill are tiny shrimp-like animals that swim in huge groups. Many whales, seals and penguins eat them.
Lives in: OceanAnimal names that start with K (K animals list): Kangaroo, Koala, Kiwi, Killer Whale, King Penguin, Komodo Dragon, Kingfisher, Kookaburra, Koi, Katydid, Kinkajou, Krill.
Facts checked with National Geographic Kids and Wikipedia.
Quick quiz
What Animal Starts With K? Quick Quiz
A tiny game to check what stuck. Read the question out loud and let your little one tap the answer.
Question 1
Score: 0
Free download
Free printable
Letter K Worksheets: Free Coloring Page
Three easy pages: color the big letter K and the kangaroo, trace the letter K, then find and circle the K animals. Great for circle time, morning work or a quiet afternoon at home.
1
Download the PDFOne click, no sign-up or email
2
Print at home or schoolFits US Letter and A4 paper
3
Color and traceBig letters and dotted tracing lines
Uppercase KLowercase kTracing practiceFind the K animals
Download Free PDF
3 pages, black & white
Questions
All FAQs
Animals Beginning With K: FAQ
Some easy ones for kids are kangaroo, koala, kiwi, kitten and killer whale. Fun extras include kookaburra, kinkajou and krill.
Kangaroo and kitten are great first words. Kids know them well and both start with a clear K sound.
Yes. Press the download button to get the PDF, then print as many copies as you need for home or class.
Hold a hand in front of your mouth and feel the little puff when you say “k”. Then hop like a kangaroo each time you find a K word.
The killer whale is the biggest K animal on our list. On land, the Komodo dragon is the biggest lizard in the world.
Krill are some of the smallest. Antarctic krill grow to only about 2 inches long.
Killer whales and krill both live in the sea. King penguins swim in the cold ocean to catch fish.
No. Even though people sometimes call it a koala bear, it is a marsupial that carries its baby in a pouch, just like a kangaroo.
A kitten is a baby cat, and a baby goat is called a kid. Koi are colorful pet fish that live in ponds.
Move on to the letter L page, or print the alphabet flashcards to review K with a quick matching game.