33 Animals That Start with Y: From Yabbies to Yorkshire Terriers
October 26, 2026
Animals that start with Y are harder to find than most alphabet lists suggest, and the reason is a little funny. Many of them begin with “yellow,” usually because yellow coloring is a conspicuous part of their appearance. Of the 33 animals below, 23 borrow their opening letter from that one color word. Only 10 names, including the yak, yabby, and yeti crab, begin with Y on their own.
That split makes the letter a handy tour of the animal kingdom. A yellow perch hauled through Wisconsin ice and a yellow-bellied sea snake drifting in the Pacific share a word but little else. A 19th-century English ratter and a deep-sea crab with hairy claws turn up on the same list.
Each entry below gives the animal’s history, its habitat, and a note on where American readers can see it, hunt it, fish for it, or avoid it. Pull up a chair, because these animals that start with Y cover mountains, reefs, backyards, and the bottom of the Pacific.
1. Yabby
Yabbies are small freshwater crayfish from Australia. The common yabby (Cherax destructor) lives in rivers, creeks, and farm dams, and it digs burrows in muddy areas. Those burrows let it wait out droughts that would kill most freshwater animals.
American readers will recognize the type right away. The yabby is Australia’s answer to the Louisiana crawfish, and both end up in boiling pots at weekend gatherings. The yabby also has a long history as a bush food and a backyard trapping pastime Down Under.
2. Yacare Caiman
The yacare caiman (Caiman yacare) is a close cousin of the American alligator. It inhabits the rivers and wetlands of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. The Pantanal, the largest tropical wetland on Earth, holds some of the densest caiman populations anywhere.
Adults are mid-sized crocodilians that eat fish, snails, and the occasional capybara. Like many crocodilians, the species was hunted for its hide through much of the 20th century. Today it is a common sight on wildlife tours of the Pantanal, and a few US zoos keep it.
3. Yak
The domestic yak (Bos grunniens) and its wild relative (Bos mutus) are shaggy bovines of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. The yak is often called the highest-dwelling mammal in the world, living at up to about 20,000 feet. The domestic form is one of the oldest domestic cattle still around. That gives it a human history stretching back thousands of years in the mountains of Asia.
Herding families rely on yaks for milk, meat, and wool, and as pack animals on trails too steep for other livestock. Large lungs and a thick coat protect them at altitude, but they struggle in heat. A few US ranches now raise yaks for lean meat. Readers who enjoy hoofed animals can continue with animals that start with O, home of the ox.
Important Note: Sources disagree on the wild yak’s status. English Thrive describes the wild yak as endangered, while Animals Around the Globe lists the yak as vulnerable under the IUCN. Check the IUCN Red List directly for the current assessment.
4. Yakutian Laika
The Yakutian Laika is a spitz-type hunting and sled dog from the Sakha Republic, also called Yakutia, in northeastern Siberia. Local peoples developed it to hunt, haul loads, and herd reindeer in some of the coldest inhabited places on Earth. Like every other dog, it belongs to the domestic dog species (Canis lupus familiaris).
Yakutia also gave its name to another cold-hardy animal. Alphabetical animal lists include the Yakutian horse breed. People who follow the history of horse breeds often group it with other ancient horse breeds from northern Eurasia. Geneticists are still working out Przewalski’s horse origins and which lineage deserves the title of oldest horse breed in the world. For horse names by letter, try horse breeds that start with B. For the Yakutian horse itself, see the Alphabetimals Y list.
5. Yarara
The yarara is a South American pit viper. It is a venomous viper also known as the urutu. Scientists know it as Bothrops alternatus, and it lives in grasslands and farmland across Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil.
It has a heavy body and dark, bean-shaped blotches that break up its outline on the ground. Rural workers in the Southern Cone have long treated it as a hazard, and bites are a public health concern in the region. Snake lovers can find more vipers under animals that start with V.
6. Yellow Anaconda
The yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) is the smaller, lighter-colored cousin of the famous green anaconda. A-Z Animals calls it the Paraguay-Paraná’s stealthy giant, a nod to the river systems and wetlands it calls home. Its tan and olive skin, marked with dark blotches, blends into marsh vegetation.
It is a non-venomous constrictor that ambushes birds, fish, and small mammals from the water’s edge. Hunters once took the species for its skin, and it has also appeared in the exotic pet trade. A few accredited US zoos keep yellow anacondas in tropical reptile houses. More serpents appear under animals that start with S.
7. Yellow Aphid
Yellow aphids are tiny sap-feeding insects, and one of the best known in North America is the yellow sugarcane aphid (Sipha flava). It feeds on sugarcane, sorghum, and many wild grasses. Colonies can build quickly on a single plant, and the insects excrete sticky honeydew.
Gardeners and farmers know the group well because aphids weaken plants and spread disease. Ladybug larvae, lacewings, and parasitic wasps are the natural enemies that hold most populations in check. In US farm country, scouting fields for aphids is a routine summer chore.
8. Yellow Bass
The yellow bass (Morone mississippiensis) is a small, silvery-yellow relative of the white bass and the striped bass. Dark horizontal stripes run along its sides, and the lower ones break up near the middle of the body. Its home is the Mississippi River basin and the lakes and backwaters that connect to it.
It rarely tops a pound, so anglers treat it as a panfish. Midwestern lakes sometimes hold dense schools, and winter ice fishing for them is a regional tradition. Fish fries across the Upper Midwest often serve it alongside perch and bluegill.
9. Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
The yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is a North American woodpecker with a pale yellow wash on its belly. It is a woodpecker from North America that drills holes in trees to feed on sap and insects. It breeds in northern forests and migrates to the southern US and Central America for winter.
The neat rows of sap wells matter beyond the bird itself. Hummingbirds, warblers, and insects come to drink from them, which makes sapsuckers a quiet helper for other forest species. Bird watchers can find more feathered names under bird names that start with K.
10. Yellow Bullhead Catfish
The yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) is a small catfish with a rounded tail and pale chin barbels. Its sides run olive to yellowish-brown, and its belly is yellow or cream. It lives in the eastern and central United States and does well in muddy ponds, slow creeks, and weedy lakes.
Bullheads feed at night by taste and smell, and they will eat nearly anything. They also carry sharp spines on the pectoral and dorsal fins, so handle them carefully. For generations of rural kids, a bucket of bullheads from the farm pond was a first fishing success.
11. Yellow Cobra
The yellow cobra is better known to herpetologists as the Cape cobra (Naja nivea). Its color runs from bright yellow to speckled brown across southern Africa. HowStuffWorks includes it among its list of animals that start with Y.
This snake flares a hood when threatened and carries a potent neurotoxic venom. It hunts rodents, birds, and other snakes in dry scrub and rocky country. Snake keepers in the US occasionally see it at specialized reptile collections, but private ownership is restricted in many states. Another place to meet snake names is animals that start with P.
12. Yellow Crazy Ant
The yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) earned its name from the frantic, zigzag way it runs. Workers are long-legged, honey-colored, and about the size of a grain of rice. They spray formic acid at enemies and prey, which gives the species a nasty reputation.
It is one of the world’s worst invasive insects. On Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, supercolonies killed millions of red land crabs and changed the forest floor. In the US, it has become established in Hawaii, and wildlife agencies watch for new arrivals elsewhere.
13. Yellow Mongoose
The yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) lives in the dry grasslands and scrub of southern Africa. It belongs to the mongoose family but is said to resemble a meerkat. Some field guides even call it the red meerkat, thanks to its reddish-yellow coat and upright, watchful posture.
Colonies share burrow systems, and groups sometimes share them with ground squirrels. They eat insects and small rodents and also take an occasional egg or lizard. Zoos often keep them in open-air exhibits because they are active and easy to watch.
14. Yellow Perch
The yellow perch (Perca flavescens) is a golden fish with six to eight dark vertical bars. It thrives in the Great Lakes and in cool lakes and rivers across the northern US and Canada. Few fish are as tied to American regional food, from the Friday fish fry in Wisconsin to Lake Erie perch dinners in Ohio.
Perch travel in schools, so one good spot can fill a bucket. They bite small minnows, worms, and jigs in both open water and through the ice. State agencies set bag limits that vary a lot by lake and season, so check local rules before you go.
Pro Tip: Perch schools move often. If you catch nothing in 15 minutes, drill or drift to a new spot rather than waiting. When you catch one, stay put, because it usually means the school is underneath you.
15. Yellow Sac Spider
The yellow sac spider (Cheiracanthium inclusum) is a pale, long-legged spider that is common in American homes. It measures about a quarter inch in body length and ranges from cream to light yellow-green. It does not build a web to catch prey. Instead it hunts at night and rests by day inside a small silk sac, often in a ceiling corner or behind a picture frame.
It often gets blamed for unexplained bites. Its bite can cause mild pain, redness, and swelling, and anyone with a worsening reaction should contact a doctor.
Common Mistake: Assuming every mystery skin sore came from a spider. Many bites and lesions turn out to be caused by other insects or bacterial infections, so a medical diagnosis beats guesswork.
16. Yellow Tanager
The name usually points to the black-and-yellow tanager (Chrysothlypis chrysomelas), which A-Z Animals lists as “Yellow Tanager (Black-and-Yellow Tanager)”. Males are bright yellow with a black back and wings. The bird lives in the humid forests of Costa Rica, Panama, and parts of northwestern South America.
American birders can see yellow tanager cousins without leaving the country. The western tanager has a yellow body and a red face, and it breeds in the mountain forests of the West. Tanagers of this type are now classified with cardinals rather than with tropical tanagers.
17. Yellow Tang
The yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) is a lemon-bright surgeonfish that grazes algae on the coral reefs of Hawaii. It carries a small, sharp spine near the tail, which is the “scalpel” behind the surgeonfish name. Snorkelers off Oahu and the Big Island often see dozens in a single glide over the reef.
It is one of the best-selling saltwater aquarium fish in the world, and collecting from Hawaiian reefs has long been debated. In 2015, researchers at the Oceanic Institute in Hawaii reported success raising the species in captivity, which may reduce pressure on wild fish over time.
18. Yellow-Bellied Marmot
The yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) is a chunky, golden-bellied rodent of the western mountains. It lives in rocky meadows in the Rockies, the Sierra Nevada, and the Cascades. Hikers know it for sunbathing on boulders and for a sharp whistle that warns the colony of hawks and coyotes.
Marmots spend much of the year in hibernation and have to fatten up during the short alpine summer. Researchers at Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory have tracked marmot populations for decades, and the work helps explain how mountain mammals respond to warming. A relative closer to home is the woodchuck, which appears under animals that start with W.
19. Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake
The yellow-bellied sea snake (Hydrophis platurus) has a black back and a bright yellow underside. It spends its life in warm ocean water and ranks among the world’s most widely ranging snakes. It drifts at the surface, often near floating debris where small fish gather.
The snake is venomous but rarely bites people. Warm-water years such as 2015 and 2016 pushed some individuals onto Southern California beaches, where they drew crowds and puzzled lifeguards. If you find one on the sand, leave it alone and call local wildlife authorities.
20. Yellow-Billed Hornbill
Two African species share the name: the eastern yellow-billed hornbill (Tockus flavirostris) and the southern yellow-billed hornbill (Tockus leucomelas). They have been nicknamed the Flying Bananas because their bill resembles a banana. The curved yellow bill looks heavy but is light and hollow.
These birds eat insects, seeds, and small reptiles from the savanna floor. Hornbills are known for an unusual nesting habit. The female seals herself into a tree cavity with mud and droppings and leaves only a slit for the male to pass food through. Zoos across the US keep them in walk-through aviaries.
21. Yellow-Eyed Penguin
The yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) is known in Maori as the hoiho. It has pale yellow eyes and a yellow band running around the back of its head. It is also the 4th tallest penguin in the world.
The IUCN lists the species as endangered. Unlike many penguins, it usually nests in small, scattered groups, often hidden among coastal trees and shrubs. Introduced predators, disease, and changes in the marine environment all threaten the bird. For more on its range, see Wildlife Explored.
22. Yellow-Faced Bee
Yellow-faced bees belong to the genus Hylaeus, and one of the most notable is Hylaeus anthracinus in Hawaii. They are small, slender, and mostly hairless, with pale yellow or white face markings. Many people mistake them for tiny wasps. They carry pollen in the crop rather than on hairy legs, which explains their bare look.
In 2016, seven Hawaiian yellow-faced bee species became the first bees in the US to be listed under the Endangered Species Act. Other Hylaeus species live across the lower 48, nesting in hollow stems and beetle burrows. Readers who want the whole buzzing family can browse animals that start with B.
23. Yellowfin Tuna
The yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a fast fish with bright yellow fins, found in warm oceans. It is a powerful open-water predator that follows schools of smaller fish across entire ocean basins. Adults can reach several hundred pounds.
US consumers know it as “ahi” in Hawaiian restaurants and sushi bars. Sport anglers chase it in the Gulf of Mexico, off the Atlantic coast, and in Pacific waters off California. The fish is a major commercial catch worldwide, and canned tuna often comes from this and related species. Another tuna relative is listed under animals that start with T.
24. Yellowhammer
The yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) is a European bunting. Males have a bright lemon-yellow head and breast marked with fine brown streaks. The bird sings from hedgerows and fence posts in open farmland, and its song is often described with a rhythmic English phrase.
In the US, “yellowhammer” has a different meaning. Alabama’s state bird is the northern flicker, which Southerners long called the yellowhammer, and the state’s nickname comes from it. Folklore ties the name to yellow trim on Confederate uniforms. More bird names are listed under bird names that start with I.
25. Yellowish Cuckoo Bumblebee
The yellowish cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus fernaldae) was formerly known as Fernald’s cuckoo bumblebee, and A-Z Animals calls it the nest-hijacking bumblebee. It is a parasite of other bumblebees. The female invades a host colony, kills or subdues the queen, and lets the host workers raise her young.
Because the species makes no workers of its own, it has no use for pollen baskets on its legs. It lives in northern North America, including parts of Canada and the northern US. Researchers consider it a good indicator of bumblebee health, since cuckoo bumblebees can only thrive where their hosts do.
26. Yellowjacket
Yellowjackets are wasps, not bees. Common US species include the eastern yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons) and the western yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica). They build paper nests, often underground, and a mature colony can hold thousands of workers.
Colonies die off with the first hard frost, but fall is peak season for conflict. Late in the year, workers go after sweet drinks and meat at picnics and tailgates. People with allergies to stings should carry prescribed epinephrine, and anyone who has trouble breathing after a sting needs emergency care.
Pro Tip: Check soda cans and cups before you take a sip outdoors in early fall. Yellowjackets crawl inside and a sting on the lip or throat can be dangerous.
27. Yellowtail Snapper
The yellowtail snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus) is a slim reef fish with a bright yellow stripe running from its snout to its forked tail. It schools above coral and rocky bottoms, and it is one of the most popular catches in the Florida Keys. Anglers often chum the water and use light line and small hooks to coax wary fish to bite.
The table below shows where US readers are most likely to meet the fish from this list.
| Fish | Where to Find It in the US | Typical Appeal |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | Great Lakes and northern lakes | Ice fishing and fish fries |
| Yellow Bass | Mississippi River basin and Midwestern lakes | Panfish for family outings |
| Yellow Bullhead Catfish | Eastern and central ponds and creeks | Farm pond fishing |
| Yellowfin Tuna | Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific waters | Offshore sport fishing and sushi |
| Yellowtail Snapper | Florida Keys and southeast Florida reefs | Reef fishing and seafood |
| Yellow Tang | Hawaiian reefs | Snorkeling and aquariums |
28. Yellowthroat
The common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) is a small warbler found in marshes and wet fields across much of the United States. Males wear a black mask that looks like a bandit’s, and the bright yellow throat gives the bird its name. Females lack the mask and look browner.
Yellowthroats skulk low in cattails and reeds, so most birders hear them first. Their song is a rolling “witchety-witchety” phrase. Wetland loss is the main threat to the species. Readers looking for oddly lettered birds can also try bird names that start with Z.
29. Yeti Crab
The yeti crab (Kiwa hirsuta) is a pale, nearly blind crustacean from the deep sea. It was first discovered by a group of scientists in 2005, off Easter Island in the hydrothermal vents along the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge. Its name comes from the shaggy bristles, called setae, on its arms, and those bristles host dense colonies of bacteria.
Researchers proposed that the bacteria might feed the crab, though that idea should be kept separate from feeding behavior shown in other yeti crab species. More species have been discovered since 2006. Readers on the hunt for another uncommon letter can see animals that start with X.
30. Yokohama Chicken
The Yokohama chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a Japanese ornamental breed known for extremely long tail and saddle feathers. The breed took its name from the port of Yokohama, from which birds were shipped to Western breeders in the 19th century. Breeders in Europe later used it to help create other fancy fowl.
Keeping the long feathers in good condition takes work, so show birds are often housed in tall perches and clean coops. A few US poultry hobbyists raise Yokohamas for exhibition. They are not productive layers, so most keepers choose them for beauty. Rooster fans can browse animals that start with R.
31. Yorkie Bichon
The Yorkie Bichon is a designer cross between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Bichon Frise. It is a small companion dog, often under 15 pounds, with a soft, curly or wavy coat and a teddy-bear face. Breeders began producing these crosses during the broader hybrid dog boom of recent decades.
Because it is a mix, puppies vary in coat type, size, and temperament. The American Kennel Club does not recognize the Yorkie Bichon as a breed, but mixed-breed dogs can still enroll in its Canine Partners program. Expect regular grooming and plenty of attention.
32. Yorkie-Poo
The Yorkie-Poo, also written Yorkie Poo or Yorkiepoo, crosses a Yorkshire Terrier with a toy or miniature Poodle. HowStuffWorks includes the Yorkie Poo in its roundup of animals that start with Y, a sign of how common the cross has become. Dogs in the mix usually stay small and keep a fluffy coat.
Some buyers choose the cross hoping for a low-shedding dog, but coat type is not guaranteed. Prospective owners should meet the parents, ask about health testing, and consider adoption from shelters and rescues. Many US shelters have small mixed-breed dogs that need homes.
33. Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier started as a working dog. Its ancestors were efficient rat catchers in the clothing mills of 19th-century England. The “Yorkie” is a beloved companion dog from Northern England, and the breed shrank in size as it moved from mills to parlors.
It is among the most popular small dogs in the US. Yorkies are small lap dogs that are very popular worldwide. One famous Yorkie, a 4-pound dog named Smoky, became a World War II mascot in the Pacific, and a memorial to her stands in Ohio. Find more breed names at dog breeds that start with R, or read TRVST’s Y animal profiles.
| Dog | Parentage | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire Terrier | Purebred | Northern England mill ratter turned lap dog |
| Yorkie Bichon | Yorkshire Terrier and Bichon Frise | Modern designer cross |
| Yorkie-Poo | Yorkshire Terrier and Poodle | Modern designer cross |
Key Insight: The animals that start with Y fall into three groups: true Y names such as yak and yabby, “yellow” names that describe color, and dog breeds and crosses with Yorkshire roots. Keep that framework in mind and the list gets easier to remember. To keep going through the alphabet, try animals that start with U next.