N. carcinocatactes (extinct) N. violacea Nyctanassa is a genus of night herons from the Americas, especially (but not exclusively) warmer coastal regions.

They were formerly included in the genus Nycticorax, but today all major authorities recognize them as distinct.

The genus Nyctanassa was introduced in 1887 by the Norwegian born zoologist Leonhard Stejneger to accommodate a single species, the yellow-crowned night heron, which is therefore the type species.

[1][2] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek nux meaning "night" with anassa meaning "queen" or "lady".

This Pelecaniformes-related article is a stub.