Nyctanassa fossil map
Where fossils of Nyctanassa have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Prehistoric birds |
|---|---|
| Lived | 4.7 million years ago to the present (Zanclean to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Ardeidae |
| Named by | Stejneger 1887 |
| Fossil records | 23 occurrences at 17 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Virgin Islands, U.S., Bermuda, Bahamas, Ecuador, Mexico, Cayman Islands |
| Rock formations | txn:39541, Okeechobee, Tamiami |
About Nyctanassa
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.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Nyctanassa (revision 1380726251), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q794868.
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