This large heron has a black cap, white neck, and grey back. It searches for fish and other prey in South American wetlands.
Adults have a black cap, a distinctly white neck, and a grey back and wings. The sexes look alike, but southern birds are reported to be larger than northern birds.
In South American lakeshores, rivers, estuaries, and wetlands, it stands still or walks slowly while searching for prey. It mainly eats fish, as well as frogs and aquatic insect larvae. During the dry season, it may forage with other birds.
Juveniles have an ashy neck and a dull black or grey cap without the adult's long plumes. Adults have yellow irises and blue lores between the eyes and bill.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.