In breeding plumage it is entirely white, with long plumes from the head down the nape. Birds from Madagascar migrate to mainland Africa after breeding.
Breeding plumage is white, with a long crest extending from the head down the back of the neck. The bill is blue with a black tip; outside breeding, the head and back show brown streaks.
It often feeds alone, ambushing fish in shallow water. During breeding it nests in colonies with other herons.
Outside breeding, the bill is greyish green with a black tip and the legs are greenish. Juveniles resemble nonbreeding adults but have brown wing tips and an orange-tinged bill with a black tip.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.