How many times have your kids asked do you know any animals that begin with C? Does your mind go blank like mine? That is why we have put together this list so you can be a rock star parent and tell them some animals and a few facts.
Commonly Known Animals That Begin With C
There are so many well known animals that begin with C. Check out this list with some fun facts about each commonly known animals that start with C.
Love learning about animals be sure to check out our 50 Fascinating Facts About Eagles.
Cairn Terrier
Cairn Terriers are originally from Scotland. They can be several different colors, black, brown, cream, red, and grey are just a few. They are smaller dogs with a lot of hair. They are known to live for 12 to 17 years.
Caribbean Reef Shark
Caribbean Reef Sharks are found in the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Brazil. They can measure up to 9.8 feet long. They are one of the largest animals at the top of the food chain in the reef. They have been known to lay motionless on the ocean floor to rest not a normal shark behavior.
Carp
Carp are oily freshwater fish that live in very large schools of fish. They will be found in Europe and Asia. They include many different types of fish that are food for humans but also they include goldfish and koi fish that people have as pets. Several different kinds of carp can live for long periods of time without oxygen when they are under ice in the winter.
Carpenter Ant
Carpenter Ants build their nests in wood and they do not eat the wood but discard it outside their nest as sawdust-looking stuff. They like to be in damp and dead wood, this means that they will also live inside houses and buildings that have a lot of moisture. They eat other dead insects or stuff that other insect produce.
Cat
Cats come in many forms but the smaller cats are kept as pets and can also help on farms and some live on tier own out on the streets. It is believed that Egypt was where they started to keep cats as pets. They have great balance and can turn themselves to land on their feet in a fall. They have great night vision and good hearing. Cats sleep up to 12 to 16 hours a day.
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are a stage in the life of a butterfly or moth. They are known to eat a lot so they can grow and turn into a butterfly or moths. They mostly eat plant leaves. A few though do eat other insects. Some caterpillars are dangerous to touch they have spins on them that have toxins on them and can make a person sick. Most of them make a cocoon that they live in to turn into a butterfly or moth.
Catfish
Catfish live on most continents, but not in Antarctica. They mostly live in freshwater and can have long whisker-like things on their face. Many people in the South of the US like catching and eating fried catfish. They are bottom feeders and they usually sink instead of float.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are a smaller breed of dog. They were bred to be lap dogs and be there for you to hold and that makes them a smaller spaniel. They are very affectionate, like to do what they are told, and very playful. This makes them good with children They are active and need to be entertained.
Chicken
Chickens are the general name for many different species of chicken. They are all different shapes and sizes and even though they lay eggs their eggs are different colors and sizes. Many people like to have chickens as pets to be able to get their own eggs. They are social and intelligent animals and you may find their behavior entertaining.
Chigger
Chigger, if you live in the Southern part of the US you have been told about Chiggers. They are bugs that you can’t see with your naked eye. They do not bite but instead, they dig into the skin and eat the inner layers of the skin. This is what makes you itch and get red bumps that take a long time to heal.
Chihuahua
Chihuahuas are the smallest breed of dog. They are as small as 6 inches in height and can only be about 15 inches tall at the most. They usually weigh between 3.3 pounds to even as heavy as 10 pounds if they are over-fed.
Chinese Crested Dog
Chinese Crested Dogs are heartless and are a small breed of dog. Even though they say they are hairless they do have some hair on their heads, tails, and paws. They can be born with a lot of hair, look just like any other dog, and have hairless puppies in the same litter.
Chipmunk
Chipmunks are found in North America. They live in forests and parts anywhere there are trees. They eat nuts, seeds, and fruits but will also eat incests, small frogs, worms, and bird eggs. They have cheeks that stretch to store food and take it back to their burrows to eat or store for later, these are called cheek pouches.
Chow Chow
Chow Chows are a medium size dog that is covered in fur and can look a bit like a lion with the fur around their faces. They have a black tongue and They are known to be very protective and can be protective of both their owners and their property so strangers need to beware.
Cicada
Cicadas are insects that can be found all over the world. The ones I find around my house are ones that come out once a year other ones can be out all year round, and make a loud buzzing noise. They also malt their shells and leave them all over my yard. That load noise is the males trying to attract the females to mate.
Cockatoo
Cockatoos are birds that are from the parrot family. They are mostly from Australia, but many people have them as pets. They eat seeds, fruits and flowers, and some insects. They like to feed in groups. They come in many colors but those that are kept as pets are usually white. They have a big crown of feathers that they will stick up and down.
Cocker Spaniel
Cocker Spaniels are a smaller dog breed. They are bred originally to help with hunting and have a great sense of smell. Nowadays they are mostly pets, I have heard that they seem not as smart as other dogs and can be hard to train.
Cockroach
Cockroaches are a group of insects that you can find all over the world. They can be bigger in tropical areas and live in cool dark places close to food. They are active at night and will come out in the day but not as much.
Collie
Collies are a dog breed that was made famous by the show Lassie. They were bred to be a working dogs that would help with flocks of sheep and other livestock. They are mostly trainable but they need a job to do or they will get bored. They are able to tell emotions in humans.
Coral
Coral is a living organism that grows on reefs and eats things that float in the water such as plankton or small fish that swim by. They look like beautiful plants but are alive and eat the things around them. They also can provide protection to some fish and keep them safe from their predators.
Cow
Cows are commonly called cattle. There are several different types of cows and they vary in size and type depending on the place where they live. They have an interesting digestive system that they have to rechew their food called cud and will bring that back up to chew further.
Crab
Crabs come in a variety of species and they live in all the world’s oceans, they also live in freshwater and on land. Crabs have to get grow new shells when they get bigger and they crawl out of their old small shell before growing a new one. Most crabs walk sideways. They will fight each other if they get into each other’s area.
Crayfish
Crayfish live in freshwater. They are in the same family as lobsters and look a lot like mini lobsters. In the southern US, they are eaten at certain times of year in crayfish broils.
Cricket
Crickets are insects that live in dark places. They rub a special body part that only males have together to make noise. They are active at night and are found all over the world. It depends on the species they eat, some eat only plants and others eat other insects as well.
Crow
Crows are a general term for many different species of blackbirds. The American crow is found all over North America. They are known to be intelligent and self-aware. They can live in the wild for 7 to 8 years and in captivity they have lived up to 30 years.
Zoo Animals That Start With C
California Condor
California Condors are the biggest land bird in North America. They are mostly black with some spots of white and they have bald heads. They live in rocky forests sometimes next to cliffs. They can live up to 60 years they usually can only grunt or hiss for noises they can make. They eat dead animals and will fly far to find food.
Camel
Camels are used for a lot of things but most are working animals that help transport stuff or people in the desert. Most camels can live 40 to 50 years. The camels’ humps are not actually water and are fatty tissue that when needed can be turned into water. The camel’s body has many different things that help it keep cool in the hot desert.
Caribou
Caribou are also called reindeer. Both males and females grow antlers. They grow new antlers each year and males will lose them in the fall and regrow them in the summer each year the male antlers will get bigger. The females keep theirs until after they have babies.
Centipede
Centipedes have one pair of legs per segment of their bodies. They are all venomous and can cause pain when they bite you. They may be called centipedes but none of them have exactly 100 legs. They like to eat many different things, but most eat other insects.
Chameleon
Chameleons are lizards that have special-shaped feet and eyes that can move independently of each other. They have tails that help them hold onto things as well as help them climb and stay stable. Some of them are able to change color with to blend into the environment so they are hidden from predators. But they also change color because of temperature or other consciousness and it can signal to other chameleons that they are something wrong.
Cheetah
Cheetahs are the fastest land animal. They can run as fast as 50 to 80 mph. They will live in groups but mostly as females and their cubs, males can form a group or live alone. They are most active during the day and unlike we may think they do not usually hunt at their top speed but do use speed to run and catch their prey.
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzees are an ape, They live in groups of 50 to 150 members. They love to eat fruit but will also eat leaves, leaf buds, seeds, blooms, stems, pith, bark, and resin. Though they are mostly known to eat plants and fruit they will once in a while eat honey, soil, insects, birds, bird eggs, and even small animals.
Chinstrap Penguin
Chinstrap Penguins live in the Southern Pacific and the Antarctic Oceans. They are black and white and have a thin line of black that goes around their throats making them look like they are wearing a helmet chinstrap. They build nests out of stones and both males and females take care of the eggs. They have a reputation for being the most aggressive and ill-tempered penguins.
Clouded Leopard
Clouded leopards live in forests that are in the Himalayas, South Asia, and South China. Most are in zoos now and they can live up to 11 years in captivity. They live alone, love to climb, and are great at it. They stalk their prey and wait for them to approach. They are most active at night. During the day most of them rest in the trees reserving energy to be able to come down to the forest floor at night to hunt.
Clownfish
Clownfish are the fish that Nemo and his father are in the movie Finding Nemo. They live on reefs and shallow lagoons. They seem to be immune to the sting of the anemone and use them to hide from their predators. They eat the undigested food of the anemones that they live with.
Cobra
Cobras come in many different species. They are all venomous and have a hood that flares out when they feel threatened. They are able to hold their heads up in the air before they strike and bite their prey or predator.
Coral Snake
Coral Snakes in the US are red, yellow, and black. They tend to hide in the ground or the leaf covering the ground. Some of them live only in water. They eat other snakes, lizards, frogs, nestling birds, and small rodents. They are not known to be the aggressive type of snake and will more like run away before biting you.
Cottonmouth
Cottonmouths are pit vipers, who live in the southern US. they are venomous and can give you big bits that could be deadly. They live around bodies of water like lakes, ponds, creeks, streams, marshes, and swamps. When they feel like they are going to be in trouble or get stressed out they will vibrate their tail and show their mouths open.
Cougar
Cougars are also called mountain lions. They are the largest cat that is native to the Americas. They usually live alone and are most active at night. Over 70% of their diet is meat that they either hunt or scavenge for. They eat things like deer, elk, moose, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. They can run but prefer to stock their prey and pounce from behind and bite their necks.
Coyote
Coyotes are a canine that is from North America. They eat mostly meat such as deer, rabbits, birds, and reptiles, but will eat fruit and vegetables if they need food. They live in packs like wolves but unlike wolves, they are family units that have a dominant female these packs are family units. They use their sense of smell and sight to hunt their prey.
Crane
Cranes are long-legged and long-neck birds. They will eat what they can find depending on the season and what they need to stay healthy. They lay about 2 eggs in a platform nest in shallow waters. Both the male and the female take turns taking care of the eggs.
Crested Penguin
Crested Penguins are black and white and have yellow crests and a red bill. They live on the subantarctic islands. They lay two eggs and usually only one will survive. The first egg laid is usually much smaller than the second one.
Crocodile
Crocodiles live all over Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. A crocodile’s teeth are always being replaced with new ones. They can replace their 80 teeth 50 times in their life. They can live from 35 to 75 years. Crocodiles’ night vision and sense of smell are very good. They are most active at night. They also have a good sense of hearing.
Cuckoo
Cuckoos are birds that mostly live in trees but some can live in the ground in the tropics. They get their English name because of the sound of the male call that sounds just like the word. You may even hear them used in the cuckoo clocks that have birds come out and say cuckoo on the hour.
Other Animals That Start With C
- Cabbage Moth
- Cactus Moth
- Cactus Mouse
- Cactus Wren
- Caecilian
- Caiman
- Caiman Lizard
- California Kingsnake
- Camel Cricket
- Camel Spider
- Canaan Dog
- Canada Lynx
- Canada Warbler
- Canadian Eskimo Dog
- Canadian Horse
- Cane Rat
- Cane Corso
- Cane Spider
- Cantil
- Canvasback
- Cape Lion
- Capuchin
- Capybara
- Caracal
- Cardinal
- Carmel Spider
- Carolina Dog
- Carolina Parakeet
- Carpet Beetle
- Carpet Python
- Carpet Viper
- Carrion Beetle
- Cascabel
- Cashmere Goat
- Cassowary
- Cat Snake
- Catahoula Bulldog
- Catahoula Leopard
- Catalan Sheepdog
- Cat-Eyed Snake
- Cat-Faced Spider
- Caucasian Mountain Dog (Shepherd)
- Caucasian Shepherd
- Cava Tzu
- Cavador
- Cavapoo
- Cedar Waxwing
- Cave Bear
- Cave Lion
- Cecropia Moth
- Central Ranges Taipan
- Cephalaspis
- Ceratopsian
- Ceratosaurus
- Cervalces latifrons (Broad-Fronted Moose)
- Cesky Fousek
- Cesky Terrier
- Chain Pickerel
- Chameleon
- Chamois
- Chartreux
- Checkered Garter Snake
- Cheagle
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever
- Chestnut-Sided Warbler
- Chi Chi
- Chickadee
- Chicken Snake
- Chihuahua Mix
- Children’s python
- Chilean Rose Tarantula
- Chilesaurus
- Chimaera
- Chinchilla
- Chinese Alligator
- Chinese Cobra
- Chinese Geese
- Chinese Crested Dog
- Chinese Paddlefish
- Chinese Shar-Pei
- Chinese Water Deer
- Chinook
- Chinook Salmon
- Chinstrap Penguin
- Chinstrap Penguin
- Chipit
- Chipoo
- Chipping Sparrow
- Chiton
- Chiweenie
- Chorkie
- Chow Pom
- Chow Shepherd
- Christmas Beetle
- Christmas Island Red Crab
- Chromodoris Willani
- Chusky
- Cichlid
- Cigarette Beetle
- Cinereous Vulture
- Cinnamon Ball Python
- Cinnamon Bear
- Cinnamon Ferret
- Civet
- Clark’s Grebe
- Clearnose Skate
- Clock Spider
- Click Beetle
- Clothes Moth
- Clumber Spaniel
- Coachwhip Snake
- Coastal Carpet Python
- Coastal Taipan
- Coati
- Cobia Fish
- Cochin Chicken
- Cockalier
- Cockatiel
- Cockapoo
- Cockatoo
- Cockle
- Coconut Crab
- Codfish
- Codling Moth
- Coelacanth
- Collared Peccary
- Collett’s Snake
- Collie Mix
- Colossal Squid
- Comb Jellyfish
- Comb-crested Jacana
- Comet Moth
- Comfort Retriever
- Common Buzzard
- Common Carp
- Common European Adder
- Common Frog
- Common Raven
- Common Furniture Beetle
- Common Goldeneye
- Common Grackle
- Common Green Magpie
- Common House Spider
- Common Loon
- Common Spotted Cuscus
- Common Toad
- Common Yellowthroat
- Compsognathus
- Condor
- Cone Snail
- Conger Eel
- Congo Snake
- Conure
- Cookiecutter Shark
- Cooper’s Hawk
- Copperhead
- Corella
- Corgidor
- Corgipoo
- Corkie
- Corman Shepherd
- Cormorant
- Corn Earworm
- Corn Rex Cat (Cornish Rex)
- Corn Snake
- Cory Catfish
- Coryphodon
- Costa’s Hummingbird
- Coton de Tulear
- Cotton-top Tamarin
- Coues Deer
- Crab Spider
- Crabeater Seal
- Crab-Eating Fox
- Crab-Eating Macaque
- Crappie Fish
- Crested Gecko
- Croatian Sheepdog
- Crocodile Monitor
- Crocodile Shark
- Crocodylomorph
- Cross Fox
- Cross River Gorilla
- Crucian Carp
- Cryolophosaurus
- Cuban Boa
- Cuban Cockroach
- Cubera Snapper
- Cucumber Beetle
- Curly Coated Retriever
- Curly Hair Tarantula
- Cuttlefish
Weren’t those animals so interesting? We loved putting this list together and learn about so many new animals. We hope you did too! Add your favorite animal from the list to the comments. We’d love to know!