Tyrannus is a genus of small passerine birds in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae that are native to the Americas.

These birds wait on an exposed perch and then catch insects in flight.

[1] They have long pointed wings and large broad bills.

A kingbird was photographed in 2009 defending its young by landing on and sinking its talons into the back of a red-tailed hawk and pecking its skull until the red-tailed hawk gave up and flew away.

[2] The genus was introduced in 1799 by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède with the eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) as the type species.