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 Lari group (gulls, terns, auks, and relatives).These birds are dark-plumaged terns that inhabit tropical oceans.