A large greyish heron distinguished from others by its white head and neck and the wide black eyebrow, which ends on the nape in a wispy black plume. The bill is yellow. In flight, can be distinguished from Black-headed Heron by its uniformely grey underwings.
Juvenile and immature easily confused with juvenile and immature Black-headed Heron but have light flanks and yellow (not dark) upper legs and white, not back, ear coverts.
Pans, dams, slow-flowing rivers, lagoons and estuaries.
A harsh 'kraaunk', given in flight.