From Auguries to werewolves and Bowtruckles to Occamy, a diverse menagerie of exotic magical beasts live inside J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. Read on to learn about the many magical creatures of the Harry Potter universe.
A
Abraxan: gigantic and powerful palomino winged horse.
Acromantula: eight-eyed giant black-haired spider capable of human speech; usually inhabits dense jungles.
Aethonan: chestnut-coloured winged horse popular in Britain and Ireland.
Ashwinder: thin pale-grey serpent which hatches from fires left to burn too long; lives for only one hour in which time it lays eggs and then ignites and burns, causing the eggs to hatch.
Augurey (Irish Phoenix): greenish-black vulture-like bird found natively in Britain and Ireland, looks mournful and shy; said to foretell death.
B
Banshee: malevolent Irish-native Dark spirit creature which takes the form of a skeletal green-tinged zombie-like woman and has a fatal cry.
Basilisk: large green serpent with venomous fangs; looking a Basilisk in the eyes causes instant death while viewing its eyes by reflection causes petrification.
Billywig: swift-moving sapphire-blue insect native to Australia; its sting causes giddiness and levitation.
Blast-Ended Skrewt: aggressive crab-like creature illegally cross-bread from the Manticore and Fire Crab and covered in grey scaly armour; head end is a stinger (male) or sucker (female) and its rear end shoots fire.
Boggart: shape-shifting creature which takes the physical form of a person’s worst fear, its true form is unknown; repelled by laughter.
Bowtruckle: small green stick insect like tree guardian with long sharp fingers and natural camouflage ability; nests in trees with suitable wand wood and is intensely shy.
Bundimun: green many-eyed sludge-like pest known to infest houses; recognised by a foul smell of decay.
C
Centaur: intelligent creature with the body of a horse and head of a human; exceptionally proud and skilled in divination and astronomy.
Chimaera: rare Greek monster with the head of a lion, body of a goat and tail of a dragon; vicious and bloodthirsty.
Chizpurfle: parasitic crab-like creature with fangs; attracted by magic and (in the Muggle world) electricity.
Chupacabra: blue and red lizard-like blood-sucking creature with six legs; native to North and Central America.
Clabbert: tree-dwelling hybrid creature which resembles a monkey and frog; has webbed hands and feet, small horns, sharp teeth and a large red forehead pustule.
Cockatrice: dangerous dragon-like hybrid creature with the head and body of a rooster and tail of a lizard.
Crup: dog-like creature which resembles a Jack Russell Terrier with a forked tail, originating in the Southeast of England; likely bred by Wizards as aggressive towards Muggles.
D
Dementor: gliding and cloaked blind human-shaped foul Dark creature with rotting grey skin; feeds on and drains happiness and positive emotion.
Demiguise: monkey-like creature which can tell the future and turn invisible when threatened; native to the Far East and has fur suitable for invisibility cloaks.
Diricawl: plump flightless bird native to Mauritius and capable of disappearing and reappearing at will; known to Muggles as the dodo (who mistakenly attribute disappearances to extinction).
Doxy: small fairy-like creature (‘biting fairy’) with an extra set of arms and legs; a household pest capable of a venomous bite.
Dragon (Antipodean Opaleye): dragon native to Australia and New Zealand, eats sheep and is rarely aggressive; said to the most beautiful dragon species.
Dragon (Chinese Fireball): red and gold dragon with a fringe of golden spikes, native to China and also known as the Liondragon; named for the balls of fire it shoots from its nostrils.
Dragon (Common Welsh Green): green dragon native to Wales with a distinct musical roar; less aggressive than other dragons and prefers to eat sheep and small animals.
Dragon (Hebridean Black): rough-scaled dragon with brilliant purple eyes, an arrow-shaped spiked tail and bat-like wings; native to the islands north of Scotland and more aggressive than its Welsh counterpart.
Dragon (Norwegian Ridgeback): skinny dragon with spiny wings, native to Norway; has large nostrils, stubby horns and bulging orange eyes.
Dragon (Peruvian Vipertooth): smooth-scaled copper-coloured dragon and the smallest of the known species; has venomous fangs and a taste for humans.
Dragon (Romanian Longhorn): green-scaled dragon native to Romania; has long golden horns (sought-after by witches and wizards) which it uses to stab prey.
Dragon (Swedish Short-Snout): silvery-blue dragon native to Sweden with the ability to shoot blue flames from its nostrils; its silvery hide is used in protective gloves and shields.
Dragon (Ukrainian Ironbelly): metallic grey-scaled dragon with red eyes and long talons; the largest breed of dragon in the Wizarding World.
Dugbog: marsh-dwelling fish-like creature native to Europe and North and South America; resembles dead wood when stationary and feeds on small animals and Mandrakes.
E
Erkling: green elf-like creature with a pointed face, likes to eat children and has an alluring high-pitched cackle; shoots darts at unsuspecting victims.
Erumpent: large African-native rhinoceros-like beast with a single fiery horn; its horn contains a deadly fluid that causes injected objects to explode.
F
Fairy: small winged human-like creature with colourful or translucent insect wings; is vain with diminutive intelligence and lives in woodlands or glades.
Fire Crab: large Fijian-native tortoise-like creature with a brightly-coloured and heavily-jewelled shell; shoots fire from its backside when attacked.
Flobberworm: ten-inch toothless brown worm which lives in damp ditches and eats lettuce; its mucus is often used as a thickening agent in potions.
Fwooper: magical African-native bird with feathers of vivd and bright pink, orange, yellow and green, and a high-pitched song which will slowly drive the listener insane; its feathers are used as quills.
G
Ghost: floating transparent three-dimensional imprint of a once-living person or animal; can pass through solid objects.
Ghoul: slimy buck-toothed ogre-like creature which inhabits attics and barns; has low intelligence and feeds on bugs and household pests.
Giant: enormous and hairy human-like creature with a violent temper; lives in tribal communities and inhabits mountains.
Glumbumble: grey bee-like flying insect native to Northern Europe; produces a treacle known to induce melancholy.
Gnome: small human-like pest with a large head, razor-sharp teeth and bony feet; infests gardens across Europe and North America.
Goblin: small and cunning highly intelligent human-like creature with long ears, fingers and feet; skilled in its own brand of wandless magic and metalwork.
Granian: grey winged horse known for speed and swiftness; its hair is used in potions.
Graphorn: large and aggressive greyish-purple hump-backed creature with thick skin and two long sharp golden horns; walks on four thumbed-feet and inhabits mountains across Europe.
Griffin: large hybrid creature with the head, wings and front legs of an eagle and body, hind legs and tail of a lion; capable of flight.
Grindylow: small and aggressive horned octopus-like water demon with a large bulbous head and pale-green skin; native to Britain and Ireland and dwells in weeds at the bottom of lakes.
H
Hag: savage being which resemble a warty and old ugly witch; possesses basic magical ability and has a taste for the flesh of children.
Hidebehind: vicious and nocturnal hybrid forest-dwelling creature which preys on humans, the result of breeding a Demiguise and Ghoul; tall with silver hair and can turn invisible.
Hinkypunk: one-legged wispy blue-grey smoke-like creature which carries a lantern to lure travellers into bogs and wetlands; can shoot fireballs from its lantern.
Hippocampus: large blue-green hybrid water-dwelling creature with the head and forequarters of a horse and the tail and hindquarters of an enormous fish; its young are called ‘tadfoal’ and hatch from large, semi-transparent eggs.
Hippogriff: large hybrid creature with the head, forequarters and wings of an eagle and the body, hindquarters and tail of a horse; has large talons, a razor-sharp beak and is capable of flight.
Hodag: small four-legged dog-sized creature with a frog-like head and glowing red eyes; has a large horn and dwells in Muggle farms where it feeds primarily on Mooncalves.
Horklump: small pink fleshy mushroom-like creature covered in corse black bristles; breeds rapidly and can infest a garden in days.
Horned Serpent: large water-dwelling horned snake which emits a low musical note to signal danger; some species have a forehead jewel said to grant invisibility and flight.
House-elf: small elf-like creature with a long nose and fingers, large bulging eyes and bat-like ears; has unique wandless magical ability and is fiercely loyal and bound to serve unless freed with clothing.
I
Imp: small grey wingless pixie-like creature with yellow eyes, found across Britain and Ireland; lives in marshland and revels in pushing and tripping those who come across it.
Inferius: pale-white skeletal human corpse reanimated with Dark Magic.
J
Jarvey: overgrown ferret-like creature with a long bushy tail and sharp teeth, capable of human speech; known for hunting gnomes.
Jobberknoll: small blue speckled bird found across northern Europe and North America; makes no sound until the moment before death when it screams and regurgitates every sound it has ever heard backwards.
K
Kappa: monkey-like Japanese water demon which inhabits shallow bodies of water and has fish scales and webbed hands and feet; holds water in a hole in its head and feeds on human blood.
Kelpie: shape-shifting water demon native to Britain and Ireland which inhabits rivers and lakes; usually takes the form of a horse with a bulrush mane and eats humans.
Knarl: small magical hedgehog almost identical to its Muggle-world counterpart and found across northern Europe and North America; known to savage gardens.
Kneazle: small spotted, speckled or flecked cat-like creature with large ears and a lion-like tail; highly intelligent and capable of detecting untrustworthy individuals.
L
Leprechaun (Clauricorn): small green mischievous human-like creature native to Ireland.
Lethifold: gliding and cloaked Dementor-like Dark creature which lives in tropical climates and feeds on humans.
Lobalug: ten-inch aquatic creature which resembles a yellow rubbery sack with spout; spits venom at attackers and is found at the bottom of the North Sea.
M
Mackled Malaclaw: grey black-spotted lobster-like creature found across the European coastline; its bite causes bad luck.
Manticore: rare and dangerous Greek-native beast with the head of a man, body of a lion and tail of a scorpion; capable of human speech and has skin which repels all known charms and a stinger which causes instant death.
Matagot: large black cat-like creature with bright blue eyes; vicious when provoked and capable of multiplying.
Merpeople: hybrid half fish and half human underwater creature with greyish skin, dark green hair and yellow eyes and teeth.
Moke: ten-inch silver-green lizard-like creature which can shrink at will; native to Great Britain and Ireland.
Mooncalf: young bovine-like creature with smooth pale-grey skin, thin legs with large hooves, a long neck and bulging blue-green eyes; comes out during the full moon to perform a mating dance which creates crop circles.
Murtlap: rat-like marine creature with a tentacle-like growth on its back, found in costal areas in Britain; its bite causes sweating and twitching and, in serious cases, flames to shoot from the victim’s rear end.
N
Niffler: long-snouted and black-furred platypus-like rodent creature with a deep pouch for storing treasures; has an affinity for shiny objects and metals and is a skilled treasure hunter.
Nogtail: long-legged demon piglet creature with a thick stubby tail and narrow black eyes; suckles pigs which places a curse upon the farm.
Nundu: yellow and black-spotted giant leopard-like East African beast with toxic breath capable of killing an entire village.
O
Occamy: extremely aggressive blue-green plumed two-legged purple-winged snake native to the Far East and India; grows and shrinks to fit available space and produces silver eggs.
P
Phoenix: red and gold plumed swan-sized magical bird with a golden beak and talons, healing tears and a long peacock-length tail capable of carrying immense loads; bursts into flame upon death and is reborn from the ashes.
Pixie: small electric-blue mischievous fairy-like creature with long limbs and ears; wingless but capable of flight and capable of carrying heavy loads.
Plimpy: yellowish round magical fish-like creature with long thin legs and webbed feet; lives in deep lakes.
Pogrebin: small grey Russian demon creature with a large head which resembles a rock; follows humans and and eats them after inducing feelings of lethargy and despair, causing the victim to fall to their knees.
Poltergeist: indestructible spirit entity which causes chaos; usually without physical form.
Porlock: two-foot high horse-like creature with rough shaggy hair, a large nose and small arms with four stubby fingers; walks on two cloven-hooves and guards horses.
Puffskein: small custard-coloured fury spherical creature with a long thin pink tongue; resistant to being tightly squeezed or thrown and emits a low humming sound when content.
Q
Quintaped: five-legged club-footed creature with red-brown fur native to the Isle of Drear off the northernmost tip of Scotland; hostile and eats humans.
R
Ramora: giant silver fish native to the Indian Ocean which anchors ships in place.
Red Cap: small green dwarf-like creature with a red cap dyed with human blood; attracted to human blood and bludgeons victims to death.
Re’em: rare giant ox-like creature with golden fur native to North America and the Far East; drinking its blood increases strength.
Runespoor: bright orange and black striped scaly three-headed snake native to Burkina Faso; grows to six or seven feet.
S
Salamander: scarlet red fire-dwelling lizard-like creature which lives as long as the fire it was birthed from continues to burn; its blood has regenerative and healing properties.
Sea serpent: giant ocean-dwelling sea creature with a horse-like head and serpentine-like body; peaceful temperament and non-threatening to humans.
Shrake: spiny fish-like creature native to the Atlantic Ocean; created by wizards in retaliation for insults from Muggles and known for destroying Muggle fishing nets.
Snallygaster: hybrid dragon-like magical beast resembling both a bird and reptile and native to North America; has serrated steel fangs and a bulletproof hide.
Snidget: small round walnut-sized fury golden bird with a long thin beak, bright red eyes and rotational wings; an agile flier and was used in primitive Quidditch matches before it inspired the invention of the Golden Snitch.
Sphinx: hybrid Egyptian-native beast with the head of a human and body of a lion; violent, highly intelligent and capable of human speech.
Streeler: giant African-native magical snail which changes colour hourly and has toxic spikes on its shell; produces a slimy venomous trail capable of destroying vegetation.
Swooping Evil: large blue and green spiky-winged butterfly-like creature which shrinks into a spiky-green cocoon when not in flight; feeds on human brains and produces a venom capable of erasing bad memories.
T
Thestral: rare skeletal black horse with leathery bat-like wings; only visible to those who have seen death.
Three-headed dog: large rare canine creature with a single body and three heads; falls asleep when played music.
Thunderbird: large golden-white eagle-like bird native to America and commonly found in Arizona; highly sensitive to danger and can create storms as it flies.
Tebo: dangerous ash-coloured warthog-like creature which can turn invisible; native to Congo and Zaire.
Troll: large aggressive giant-like creature with low intelligence and immense strength; different species inhabit forests, mountains and rivers.
U
Unicorn: single-horned and golden-hooved pure-white horse which begins life as a golden-coloured foal; the horn, hair and blood all have immensely powerful magical properties.
V
Vampire: human-like Dark creature which bites victims on the neck and sucks their blood.
Veela: semi-human Bulgarian-native creature which resembles a young, attractive, beautiful women with white-gold hair and moon-bright skin; its alluring and hypnotic dance is highly seductive.
W
Wampus cat: light brown and white-furred yellow-eyed cat native to the Appalachian Mountains and capable of walking on its hind legs; fast and powerful and capable of hypnosis and Legilimency (mind reading).
Werewolf (lycanthrope): human being who painfully transforms into a deadly wolf at the full moon; can infect other human beings by biting them.
Y
Yeti: large human-like white-grey hairy magical beast native to Tibet; often called the Abominable Snowman or Bigfoot by Muggles.
Z
Zouwu: large orange elephant-sized cat-like creature with a striped body, scraggly mane, long multicoloured tail, four fangs and long sharp claws; native to China and capable of superhuman speed.