Bird
Quail are small, round birds that spend most of their time on the ground. Baby quail can run around just a few hours after they hatch.
Lives in: Grasslands
HomeAnimals A–ZLetter Q
Animals That Start With Q: List, Facts & Free Coloring Pages
From plump little quail to smiley quokkas, the letter Q has some delightful animals. Practice the Q 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 Q, perfect when a little one asks what animal starts with Q.
12animals
1sounds
3free pages
Letter sound
What Sound Does the Letter Q Make?
The letter Q almost always teams up with U. Together they make a /kw/ sound, like a duck saying “quack”. Tap any word to hear it.
Qq
Say it together
Say “kw, kw, kw” like a little duck. Then read the words on the right and listen for the quack at the start.
/kw/
Q says kw
Round your lips like you are about to whistle, then push out a quick “kw”.
Quack like a duckWaddle and quack each time you hear a Q word.
Make a crownWear a paper crown and be the queen or king of Q.
Q loves UShow how Q and U almost always stick together.
Animal list
12 Animals That Start With the Letter Q
Q is a tricky letter, so this list has a few animals you may not know yet. Say each name slowly and listen for the “kw” sound. Every one of these animals with Q has a short fact you can read aloud.
Mammal
Quokkas are small marsupials from Western Australia, about the size of a house cat. Their mouths curve up, so they often look like they are smiling.
Lives in: ForestsBird
The male resplendent quetzal has shiny green feathers and a very long tail. It lives in misty cloud forests in Central America.
Lives in: RainforestsMammal
Quolls are spotted marsupials from Australia and New Guinea. They are most active at night, when they hunt for insects and small animals.
Lives in: ForestsFish
Queen angelfish are bright blue and yellow. A dark spot on their head, ringed with blue, looks like a little crown.
Lives in: Coral reefsMammal
The American quarter horse got its name from racing a quarter of a mile. Over short distances, it is one of the fastest horses in the world.
Lives in: FarmsReptile
Queen snakes live near rocky streams in the eastern United States. They eat mostly crayfish that have just shed their hard shells.
Lives in: Rivers & swampsMollusk
A quahog is a hard-shelled clam that lives buried in the sand along the Atlantic coast. It sucks in water through a tube and filters out tiny bits of food.
Lives in: OceanMollusk
The queen conch is a big sea snail with a pretty pink shell. It lives in warm, shallow water in the Caribbean.
Lives in: OceanBird
The red-billed quelea is a small African bird that lives in huge flocks. Some flocks have millions of birds that fly together like a cloud.
Lives in: SavannaFish
The Queensland grouper is one of the biggest fish that lives on coral reefs. It can grow longer than a grown-up is tall.
Lives in: Coral reefsInsect
This is the biggest butterfly in the world. It lives only in a small patch of rainforest in Papua New Guinea.
Lives in: RainforestsAnimal names that start with Q (Q animals list): Quail, Quokka, Quetzal, Quoll, Queen Angelfish, Quarter Horse, Queen Snake, Quahog, Queen Conch, Quelea, Queensland Grouper, Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing.
Facts checked with National Geographic Kids and Wikipedia.
Quick quiz
What Animal Starts With Q? 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 Q Worksheets: Free Coloring Page
Three free pages in one PDF: color the letter Q and a quail, trace the letter, then find the Q animals. Print it 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 QLowercase qTracing practiceFind the Q animals
Download Free PDF
3 pages, black & white
Questions
All FAQs
Animals Beginning With Q: FAQ
Quail, quokka, quoll and quetzal are some of the best known. Fun extras include the queen angelfish, quahog and queen snake.
Quail is a great first Q word because it is short and easy to picture. Quokka is a fun second one, and kids love its smiley face.
Yes. Press the download button to get the PDF, then print as many copies as you need for home or class.
Show how Q and U go together and say “kw” like the start of a duck’s “quack”. Then have your child quack every time they hear a Q word.
On land, the quarter horse is the biggest Q animal. In the sea, the Queensland grouper can grow longer than a grown-up is tall.
The quelea is a little bird about the size of a sparrow. Some kinds of quail are not much bigger.
The queen angelfish and the Queensland grouper swim around coral reefs. The quahog is a clam that hides in the sand.
Quarter horses live on many farms and ranches. Some farmers also raise quail for their small, speckled eggs.
The quokka! The corners of its mouth turn up, so it often looks happy in photos.
Move on to the letter R page, or print the alphabet flashcards to review Q with a quick matching game.