Let’s learn about the animals that start with C and other facts about them. The compilation below will provide you with an overview of the animal. You could learn about their habitat, lifespan, scientific names, etc.
With this small and detailed information, you could know the specific animals properly. It won’t take long to get curious about their other aspects. Go through each animal, try to learn in-depth, and explore interesting facts.
List of Animals That Start with C by Types
These are the list of animals that start with C which are categorized as Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fishes and Invertebrates.
Mammals That Start with Letter C
Birds That Start with Letter C
Reptiles That Start with Letter C
Amphibians That Start with Letter C
Fishes that Start with C
Insects and Invertebrates Beginning with C
List of Animals That Start With C: Classification, Behavior, and Facts
Below we have listed all the common animals, starting with the letter C.
1. Caiman
Scientific name: Caimaninae
Type of animal: Reptiles
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: The habitat of Caiman is in the Central and South American region.
Average lifespan: Fish, amphibians, birds, small mammals, and occasionally reptiles.
Diet: Amphibians, birds, fish, and small mammals.
Fun Fact: They are great at swimming instead of walking on the ground
The caiman is also known for their ferocious nature. In fact, sometimes it can be bigger than so-called alligators. Moreover, they have short legs, long tails and they can run faster on the ground as well. Their skin looks a lot similar to any ordinary crocodile.
2. Camel
Scientific name: Camelus
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Arid regions of Africa and Asia
Average lifespan: Around 40 to 80 years.
Diet: Grasses, desert plants, leaves, seeds, wheat, and oats.
Fun Fact: They have special eye protection to survive in brutal sand storms in the deserts.
The camel is an animal specialized to live in the desert area and extreme conditions. They have longer legs to stay away from sand heat. Their body has compartments to store water. As a result, they could stay without water for a long time.
Scientific name: Rhinella marina
Type of animal: Amphibian
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Sand dunes and coastal grasslands, mangroves.
Average lifespan: 10 to 15 years
Diet: Lizards, insects, vegetation, insects, small birds, small mammals, and snakes.
Fun Fact: The Cane Toad has a secret reserve of toxic substances.
Cane Toads are small and colorful frogs living in the rainforest and sand dunes. Oftentimes they are calm in nature. But, when any prey or other animal attacks them they release this substance. These kinds of substances may be fatal for other animals.
4. Capuchin
Scientific name: Cebinae
Type of animal: Primate
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Brazil and other parts of Latin America
Average lifespan: 15 to 25 years
Diet: fruits, nuts, seeds, and flowers.
Fun Fact: Capuchins are a lot more intelligent and can use new kinds of tools.
The Capuchin is a small-sized but intelligent and active monkey. They mainly come from the Cepinae monkey group. Moreover, their appearance is unique with black head and body. But they have white fur around the neck area.
5. Capybara
Scientific name: Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Vegetation around rivers, lakes, marshes, ponds, and swamps.
Average lifespan: 8 to 10 years
Diet: Grasses, aquatic plants.
Fun Fact: When it comes to swimming, the Capybara always comes on top. They are especially great swimmers.
The Capybara are some of the larger living rodents in the world. They usually live around water bodies or swamps. They have nostrils specially made for swimming for a longer time. It gives them an advantage in hunting in the water.
6. Caracal
Scientific name: Caracal caracal
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: savannas, grasslands, woodlands, scrublands, and mountainous.
Average lifespan: 12 to 15 years.
Diet: Birds, rodents, and small antelopes
Fun Fact: Their strong hearing system lets them detect even slight sounds in the wilderness.
Caracals are special type of wild cats. They are mainly found in India, and different parts of Africa and the Middle East continent. They are great predators. They can catch different kinds of bits, hyraxes, and others easily. Their reddish-brown fur makes them unique.
7. Cardinal Bird
Scientific name: Cardinalis cardinalis
Type of animal: Bird
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Woodlands, forests, gardens, and shrublands.
Average lifespan: 3 to 5 years
Diet: Insects, beetles, true bugs, grasshoppers, caterpillars, waste grain, leaf buds, flowers, etc.
Fun Fact: They mate with single birds for life.
The Cardinal Birds have a unique red color all over the body. But they have slight black feathers around the beak and tail. Apart from their appearance, they are always practicing monogamy. Their loving relationship is known for maintaining it for a long time.
8. Caribou
Scientific name: Rangifer tarandus
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Mountain tundra, arctic tundra, and northern forests.
Average lifespan: 15 to 20 years
Diet: Leaves of willows, flowering tundra plants, sedges, mushrooms
Fun Fact: Caribous Hooves can change depending on the season and weather.
The Caribou are known for their mass migration. They can migrate from one place to another in large numbers. In addition, they have strong hooves to support their migration. A mature Caribou weight can range from 80-120 kg.
9. Cassowary
Scientific name: Casuarius spp
Type of animal: Bird
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Woodlands, melaleuca swamps, mangroves, and even beaches.
Average lifespan: 40 to 50 years
Diet: Fruit, invertebrates, fungi, carrion, and plants.
Fun Fact: Cassowary can jump up to 5 feet
They can be dangerous to humans. They can run at speed and can attack anyone. so you should keep your distance from them even in an open place. However, they are flightless birds and have back feathers and colorful necks which makes them easy to identify.
10. Cat
Scientific name: Felis catus
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Areas of human habitation.
Average lifespan: 15 to 20 years.
Diet: Prey with higher protein.
Fun Fact: Cats can be great at acrobatics and other kinds of skills.
Cats are agile and flexible animals which can even go through tight spaces. Their body has great adaptation to these kinds of activities. They are experts in killing out rats and small mice. You could see them in most of the residential areas.
11. Centipede
Scientific name: Chilopoda
Type of animal: Arthropod
Phylum: Arthropoda
Habitat: Under stones, damp, leaf mulch, or logs.
Average lifespan: A year or less
Diet: Spiders, Earthworms, Bed bugs, Cockroaches, Moths, Crickets, Silverfish.
Fun Fact: Generally, the Centipede has around 177 legs. Their legs are strong and let them crawl through different kinds of surfaces.
The Centipede has a long body with a higher number of legs. Usually, they have one pair of legs per each body segment. Their body itself is made out of small segments. They are reddish in color and seen in the wild. Usually, they like to stay under rocks or old logs.
12. Chameleon
Scientific name: Chamaeleonidae
Type of animal: Reptile
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Rainforests, deserts, semi-deserts, scrub savannas, and even mountains.
Average lifespan: 2 to 3 years
Diet: Locusts, mantids, grasshoppers, stick insects, and crickets
Fun Fact: They could easily change colors based on their surrounding environment.
The Chameleon is known for their color-changing abilities. But most of the time, they change color for temperature regulations, emotional response, etc. They are gentle in nature and always hide in dense plantations. They only hunt small insects with their hunting techniques.
13. Cheetah
Scientific name: Acinonyx jubatus
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: African savanna
Average lifespan: 10 to 12 years
Diet: Antelope, including springbok, steenbok, duikers, impala, and gazelles.
Fun Fact: The highest speeds of Cheetahs can reach around 67 miles while running and chasing their prey.
Cheetahs are known for their fast speed and movement. They catch deer and antelopes while chasing them out.
14. Chickadee
Scientific name: Poecile
Type of animal: Bird
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Shade trees, woods, willow thickets, groves.
Average lifespan: 3 to 7 years
Diet: Seeds, berries, insects, invertebrates.
Fun Fact: They are one of the unique birds known for their “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” call.
The Chickadee are small birds which are considered cute worldwide. They have back heads and gray and white mixed-body feathers. They are speedy birds that easily move around any terrain. Plus, their flying skill is next level as well.
15. Chimpanzee
Scientific name: Pan troglodytes
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Tropical forests and savannas.
Average lifespan: 40 to 50 years.
Diet: Fruits, seeds, nuts, leaves, flowers, and insects
Fun Fact: We share around 98% of chimpanzees’ DNA
Chimpanzees are mammals which live in deep forests. They have human-like characteristics and live in society. More so, they communicate with each other and take care of sick ones. Apart from some of the body parts, the whole of their body is covered with black fur.
16. Chinchilla
Scientific name: Chinchilla lanigera
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Mountain Slopes
Average lifespan: 10 to 15 years
Diet: Hay and grass
Fun Fact: Their fur growth is exponential, and they are used to insulate them in winter.
Chinchilla looks cute and amazing and has an admirable look. Moreover, they have super thick fur. Their fur can be used as a luxury item as well. Their appearance consists of long ears, round body, long tails and short legs.
17. Chipmunk
Scientific name: Tamias spp
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Forests, forest edges, thick brush
Average lifespan: 2 to 3 years
Diet: Cereals, fruits, nuts, and vegetables
Fun Fact: Chipmunk is known for the ability to store foods in their mouth.
The Chipmunk is a small squirrel which can be seen in the northern part of the American continent. They can easily climb trees and go down quickly for food. Usually, they eat seeds, small insects, nuts and leaves.
18. Cichlid
Scientific name: Cichlidae
Type of animal: Fish
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Rivers, lakes, swamps, ditches.
Average lifespan: 5 to 15 years
Diet: Algae and plants, other fishes
Fun Fact: Scientists say they can have 500 species depending on the location and environment.
The Cichlid is a fish that lives in different kinds of water bodies. They usually have discontinued lines along with the body. Plus, they only feature one nostril on both sides of the face. They can be easily placed in aquariums.
19. Clouded Leopard
Scientific name: Neofelis nebulosa
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Tropical rainforests.
Average lifespan: 10 to 15 years
Diet: Gibbons, macaques, slow loris, small deer, and wild boars
Fun Fact: The Clouded Leopard can open up its mouth to 100 degrees.
The Clouded Leopard is a smaller-sized leopard. They usually have short legs and tong tails. Their bodies can have dotted patterns to hide in the wild. Moreover, they are great climbers of the trees. They can be super fast in climbing up and down the trees.
20. Coati
Scientific name: Nasua spp.
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Forests and tropical woodlands.
Average lifespan: 7 to 8 years
Diet: Fruit, invertebrates, small rodents, and lizards
Fun Fact: The Coati has long claws that help them dig tree roots and rocks.
The body of a typical Coati can be 2 feet long. They have smaller ears, long tails and sharper claws. Usually, they have darker-colored fur all around the body except around the neck area. They dig up these areas and find different kinds of insects. Afterward, they eat these insects and small rodents.
21. Cockroach
Scientific name: Blattodea
Type of animal: Insect
Phylum: Arthropoda
Habitat: Humid areas, Human Residence
Average lifespan: 1 to 2 years
Diet: Plants and animals
Fun Fact: Cockroaches can live without food for at least 3 months.
The Cockroaches are known for their oval-shaped size. Plus their body is often shiny. They are commonly seen in human settlements and humid areas. Even they can live in the toughest conditions and survive on lesser foods.
22. Collie
Scientific name: Canis lupus familiaris
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Highland regions
Average lifespan: 10 to 14 years.
Diet: Meat and Herbs
Fun Fact: According to scientists, they can even remember different kinds of objects and names simultaneously.
The Collie is an intelligent breed of dog which are popular among urban settlements. They are better known for their loyalty to the owners. Meanwhile, they can get around 26 inches tall. Their color can vary a lot but mostly it’s white and brown.
23. Cormorant
Scientific name: Phalacrocoracidae
Type of animal: Bird
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Coasts, bays, lakes, rivers
Average lifespan: 15 to 20 years
Diet: Sculpins, rock gunnel, pollock, cunner, mummichog, Atlantic cod, winter flounder.
Fun Fact: The Cormorant can dive deep into the water and hunt fish.
Majority of the Cormorant species contain darker-colored feathers. They can weigh up to 5 kilograms when gets mature. They have a special type of feathers which lets them swim underwater and catch fish.
24. Corncrake
Scientific name: Crex crex
Type of animal: Bird
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Grassy peat-bogs, lowlands
Average lifespan: 2 to 3 years
Diet: Earthworms, dragonflies, slugs and snails, spiders, beetles, grasshoppers.
Fun Fact: The Corncrake can be very secretive. They usually hide in deep vegetation and jungles.
The Corncrake feather color consists of black and brown. They usually have brown-pink legs which lets them run faster. Their beak is short in size and reddish brown in color. They like to hide in tall plantations and stay in secretive areas.
25. Coyote
Scientific name: Canis latrans
Type of animal: Mammal
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Forests, grasslands, deserts, and swamps
Average lifespan: 6 to 8 years
Diet: Grass, fruits, small animals (rats, woodchucks, beavers, squirrels).
Fun Fact: Unlike any other wild animations, the Coyote is active both day and night.
Coyotes are always actively searching for food and prey both of the time. They can also be spotted in groups living and hunting. They are known for their long-distance travel. Usually, they go to different places for fainting territories and have some food.
26. Crab
Scientific name: Brachyura
Type of animal: Crustacean
Phylum: Arthropoda
Habitat: salt and freshwater
Average lifespan: 3 to 5 years
Diet: Molluscs, worms, other crustaceans, fungi, bacteria, and detritus
Fun Fact: Carbs can give 2000 eggs at once.
Crab lifespan can also be around 100 years. In general, bigger cabs live longer than smaller ones. They can have different colors like red, brown, and white. They are aggressive to each other and can fight for females.
27. Crayfish
Scientific name: Palinuridae
Type of animal: Crustacean
Phylum: Arthropoda
Habitat: Ponds, lakes, marshes, swamps
Average lifespan: 2 to 3 years
Diet: Fresh vegetation, invertebrates.
Fun Fact: For any reason, if they lost any of any of the limbs, the limb regeneration on its own.
Usually, the crawfish gets out at night. They start searching for food and hunt small fish. Crayfish is known for its limb regeneration process. Moreover, the process of regeneration is unique and rare to other species.
28. Crocodile
Scientific name: Crocodylus spp.
Type of animal: Reptile
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Humid, tropical regions
Average lifespan: 50 to 70 years
Diet: Insects, crustaceans, frogs, lizards, fish, mammals
Fun Fact: Sometimes they eat random rocks. It helps them in the digestive system.
Crocodiles most of the time live underwater. They have some of the best hunting abilities. However, at the start of their life, they had to eat fish, frogs and similar kinds of animals. As they grow older they start hunting cows, deer, zebras and so on.
29. Crow
Scientific name: Corvus spp.
Type of animal: Bird
Phylum: Chordata
Habitat: Residential and Farmlands
Average lifespan: 7 to 8 years
Diet: Insects, spiders, snails, nestling birds, fish, snakes, eggs
Fun Fact: Each of their communities can have local dialects.
Crows fall under the family of large birds. They are known for their cleverness. For example, they can problem-solve to get to their food. They are popular for some of the human-like actions. In fact, they also arrange funerals for the ones who passed away.
30. Cuttlefish
Scientific name: Sepia officinalis
Type of animal: Mollusk
Phylum: Mollusca
Habitat: Shallow reefs
Average lifespan: 1 to 2 years
Diet: Mollusks, worms, and even shellfish, fish, octopus, and other cuttlefish.
Fun Fact: The Cuttlefish has three separate hearts.
The Cuttlefish is known for their color-changing ability underwater. Moreover, they spread ink when approached by any predators. Apart from that, they feature eight separated arms and two tentacles. These long tentacles help them to catch different types of small fish.
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Conclusion
That’s all about the animals that start with C. Learn about each of them and get aware of their habitats, lifespan, and fun facts. Each of the animals represents a different geographic location. Make sure you know about each of the locations and its other wildlife.
Most of all, don’t stick to any specific alphabet while exploring the animal names. Don’t forget to go through other animals with different alphabets. Surely you will learn new things, locations and amazing facts which might give you a boost in your imagination. Perhaps, always explore new things.
