Anous

Anous is a genus of birds in the tern family. The genus as presently described consists of three species (or two):


 * Brown Noddy or Common Noddy, Anous stolidus
 * Black Noddy, Anous minutus
 * Lesser Noddy, Anous tenuirostris. Lesser Noddy is sometimes considered a subspecies of Black Noddy.

This genus forms part of the Laridae group (gulls, terns and skimming birds).

These birds are dark-plumaged terns which inhabit tropical oceans. They nest in colonies.

The female lays one egg in each breeding season.

These birds feed on small fish, which they catch by plunge diving.

Etymology
Anous is Greek for "stupid" or "unmindful" (Harrison, 1990; see also nous); stolidus means "impassive" in Latin. These birds are often unwary and were well known to sailors for their apparent indifference to hunters or predators. They find safety in enormous numbers.