Animals That Start With U in Spanish (With Meanings)

Spanish animals that start with U are rare — this is one of the thinnest letters in Spanish animal vocabulary. But the few words that exist are fascinating: la urraca (magpie) is famous for stealing shiny objects, el urogallo (capercaillie) is a rare woodland bird native to northern Spain, and el urubú (black vulture) is a common sight across Latin America.

This guide covers 4 animals that start with U in Spanish, from la urraca (magpie) to el urubú (black vulture). Each entry gives you the Spanish word, its English translation, its grammatical gender (el or la), and an example sentence so you can see it used naturally.

Urraca – Magpie in Spanish (la)

La urraca roba objetos brillantes. (The magpie steals shiny objects.)

Note: Urraca is feminine: la urraca, las urracas. A black-and-white bird in the crow family, famous in folklore for collecting shiny objects. In Spain, “ser una urraca” is used informally to describe someone who chatters a lot.

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Uro – Aurochs in Spanish (el)

El uro era un gran bovino salvaje, antepasado del ganado moderno. (The aurochs was a large wild bovine, ancestor of modern cattle.)

Note: Uro is masculine: el uro, los uros. An extinct wild ox that lived across Europe, Asia, and North Africa until the 17th century. Modern cattle descend from it. A word more common in history and biology than everyday speech.

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Urogallo – Capercaillie in Spanish (el)

El urogallo vive en los bosques del norte de España. (The capercaillie lives in the forests of northern Spain.)

Note: Urogallo is masculine: el urogallo, los urogallos. A large woodland grouse native to northern Spain and parts of Europe. The Iberian subspecies (urogallo cantábrico) is critically endangered — a symbol of Spanish conservation efforts.

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Urubú – Black vulture in Spanish (el)

El urubú sobrevuela la selva en busca de carroña. (The black vulture flies over the jungle in search of carrion.)

Note: Urubú is masculine: el urubú, los urubúes. The plural adds -es. A common vulture across Latin America, especially Brazil and Argentina. Also called zopilote in Mexico and Central America, and gallinazo in parts of South America. The word comes from Tupi, an indigenous Brazilian language.