This list includes 28 Small animals that start with Y, from “Yellow crazy ant” to “Yellowtail snapper”. These species are generally small-bodied and include both common pets and wild creatures. You can use this list for quick identification, classroom activities, or pet-care reference.
Small animals that start with Y are species whose common names begin with Y and that stay small as adults. A notable example is the Yellow crazy ant, which forms huge groups that can change island ecosystems.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, and Lifespan.
Common name: The name you likely search for; useful for quick identification and everyday communication about the species.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial used by scientists, so you can find precise species information and avoid confusion.
Habitat: Short habitat phrase shows where the animal lives, helping you match sightings or plan care environments.
Lifespan: Typical adult lifespan in years or range, which helps you set expectations for pet care or study planning.
Small animals that start with Y
| Common name | Scientific name | Typical adult mass | Habitat & range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowhammer | Emberiza citrinella | 30 g | Open farmland and hedgerows; Europe and Asia |
| Yellow wagtail | Motacilla flava | 20 g | Wet meadows, farmlands; Eurasia and Africa |
| Yellow warbler | Setophaga petechia | 7–12 g | Shrubs and wetlands; Americas |
| Yellow-rumped warbler | Setophaga coronata | 15–25 g | Coniferous and mixed woodlands; North America |
| Yellow-bellied sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | 65 g | Deciduous forests; North America |
| Yellow-breasted chat | Icteria virens | 35 g | Dense shrublands and thickets; North America |
| Yellow-billed cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus | 75 g | Woodlands and riparian areas; Americas |
| Yellow-billed magpie | Pica nuttalli | 300 g | Open woodlands and farmland; central California, USA |
| Yellow-throated vireo | Vireo flavifrons | 18 g | Mature deciduous forests; eastern North America |
| Yellow-headed blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | 100 g | Marshes and wetlands; North America |
| Yellow-headed caracara | Milvago chimachima | 370 g | Open woodlands, savannas; tropical Americas |
| Yellow-footed antechinus | Antechinus flavipes | 40 g | Woodlands and heath; eastern Australia |
| Yellow-bellied glider | Petaurus australis | 400 g | Eucalypt forests; eastern Australia |
| Yellow mongoose | Cynictis penicillata | 2.0 kg | Grasslands and semi-arid areas; southern Africa |
| Yellow-necked mouse | Apodemus flavicollis | 25 g | Deciduous forests; Europe and western Asia |
| Yellow-bellied toad | Bombina variegata | 15 g | Ponds and damp woodland; Europe and Anatolia |
| Yellow-bellied sea snake | Hydrophis platurus | 600 g | Tropical open ocean surface; pantropical |
| Yellow tang | Zebrasoma flavescens | 250 g | Coral reefs; central Pacific including Hawaii |
| Yellow perch | Perca flavescens | 300 g | Freshwater lakes and rivers; North America |
| Yellowtail snapper | Ocyurus chrysurus | 1.2 kg | Reefs and offshore waters; western Atlantic, Caribbean |
| Yellow garden spider | Argiope aurantia | 0.50 g | Gardens and fields; North America and Asia |
| Yellow crazy ant | Anoplolepis gracilipes | 0.01 g | Tropical forests and disturbed areas; invasive on many islands |
| Yellow-headed amazon | Amazona oratrix | 600 g | Tropical forests and woodlands; Central America and Mexico |
| Yellow-crowned amazon | Amazona ochrocephala | 600 g | Lowland forests and savannas; South America |
| Yellow-eared parrot | Ognorhynchus icterotis | 450 g | Montane cloud forests; Colombia |
| Yellow-bellied siskin | Spinus xanthogastrus | 10 g | Montane and forest edges; Central and South America |
| Yellow-vented bulbul | Pycnonotus goiavier | 70 g | Gardens, scrub; Southeast Asia |
| Yellow-bellied prinia | Prinia flaviventris | 9 g | Grasslands and scrub; South Asia |
Descriptions
Yellowhammer
Lifespan 2–5 years; a chunky-backed songbird known for its “little-bit-of-bread-and-cheese” call and frequent farmland presence.
Yellow wagtail
Lifespan 2–4 years; a slim, active insect-eater that migrates long distances and shows vivid yellow breeding plumage.
Yellow warbler
Lifespan 2–6 years; bright yellow songbird of riparian zones, often parasitized by cowbirds.
Yellow-rumped warbler
Lifespan 3–7 years; notable for its yellow rump patch and ability to digest waxy berries in winter.
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
Lifespan 4–6 years; drills neat rows of sap wells in trees and feeds on sap and insects.
Yellow-breasted chat
Lifespan 3–8 years; unusually large for a warbler-like bird, with quirky, varied song.
Yellow-billed cuckoo
Lifespan 2–4 years; long, slender insect specialist famous for eating large caterpillars.
Yellow-billed magpie
Lifespan 7–11 years; glossy black-and-white corvid restricted to California, highly social and vocal.
Yellow-throated vireo
Lifespan 3–5 years; pale yellow throat and a soft, melodious song; eats insects and berries.
Yellow-headed blackbird
Lifespan 3–7 years; males have striking yellow heads and form large breeding colonies in cattails.
Yellow-headed caracara
Typical lifespan 10–15 years; opportunistic raptor that often scavenges and follows human activity for food.
Yellow-footed antechinus
Lifespan ~1 year; a small marsupial known for male die-off after intense mating (semelparity).
Yellow-bellied glider
Lifespan 8–12 years; nocturnal gliding marsupial with a loud territorial call, feeds on sap and nectar.
Yellow mongoose
Lifespan 6–7 years; social burrower noted for standing upright to survey for predators and prey.
Yellow-necked mouse
Lifespan 1–2 years; named for its pale neck patch, common in woodland undergrowth.
Yellow-bellied toad
Lifespan 3–6 years; bright belly warns predators of toxic skin glands; explosive breeders in spring.
Yellow-bellied sea snake
Lifespan ~5–10 years; pelagic, highly venomous sea snake with bright yellow belly and paddle-like tail.
Yellow tang
Lifespan 10–25 years; popular aquarium fish prized for bright yellow color and territorial grazing on algae.
Yellow perch
Lifespan 3–9 years; a familiar sportfish with vertical stripes and a tasty flesh prized by anglers.
Yellowtail snapper
Lifespan 4–15 years; fast-swimming reef fish popular with anglers and seafood markets.
Yellow garden spider
Lifespan ~1 year; distinctive yellow-and-black orb-weaver that builds large webs and sometimes decorates them with zigzag stabilimenta.
Yellow crazy ant
Lifespan (worker) months; highly invasive species known for forming supercolonies and devastating native fauna.
Yellow-headed amazon
Lifespan 40–60 years; charismatic pet parrot with bright yellow head, threatened by trapping.
Yellow-crowned amazon
Lifespan 40–60 years; skilled talker and popular in aviculture, often has yellow crown marking.
Yellow-eared parrot
Lifespan 20–40 years; critically endangered, recognizable by bright yellow ear patches and strong conservation interest.
Yellow-bellied siskin
Lifespan 2–5 years; tiny seed-eating finch with vivid yellow underparts and a rapid, twittering song.
Yellow-vented bulbul
Lifespan 5–10 years; adaptable, common garden bird that readily uses human-modified habitats.
Yellow-bellied prinia
Lifespan 2–4 years; active, long-tailed warbler-like bird with a thin, insect-catching bill.