A LITTLE WILDLIFE PERSPECTIVE
How tall is a sheep?
Compare your height to a sheep.
Domestic sheep stand about 65–127 cm at the shoulder across different breeds. Wool can make the outline look much wider.
A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE
Sheep
next to the average.
Average U.S. adults, side by side.
- Average man (U.S.)5 ft 8.9 in
- Sheep3 ft 1.4 in
- Average woman (U.S.)5 ft 3.5 in
How do you measure up?
Enter your height to stand beside a sheep.
Side by side
- Sheep3 ft 1.4 in
- Your placeAdd your height
The animal is an example adult in the pose shown. Its full outline is scaled to 95 cm. Shoulder height and body length are explained below.
Where do you stand?
Keep this comparison and open the full library of people, celebrities, animals, and objects.
GET TO KNOW THE ANIMAL
Small facts. Big discoveries.
Domestic sheep · Ovis aries
Not all sheep look like a round ball of white wool. Some breeds have hair instead, and coats can be brown or black as well as white.
Sheep alternate between grazing and resting to chew cud, processing the fibrous plants they have already swallowed. Their strong flocking instinct keeps animals moving together, and a sheep separated from its companions may call repeatedly, showing how much social behavior shapes an otherwise quiet-looking flock.
- Domestic sheep may have horns or be naturally hornless.
- Breeding has created hundreds of types with different coats, sizes, and ear shapes.
How big do adults get?
- Male
- Rams: shared breed range of 65–127 cm
- Female
- Ewes: shared breed range of 65–127 cm
Rams are generally larger than ewes. The combined breed range is 65–127 cm at the shoulder and 20–200 kg. Breeds vary too much for one useful male/female maximum.
Height, length, or weight?
Standing height runs from the ground to the top of the animal. Shoulder height stops at the top of the shoulders. Length runs along the body; it is not how tall an animal stands. Weight tells us how heavy it is.
Explore the science: Animal Diversity Web · University of Michigan ↗