Slender mid-sized heron that is nearly all-white as an immature and all-dark as an adult. Bill is thicker at base than other similar-sized herons and egrets, but tapers to pointed tip. Alternate Adult: gray-blue plumage overall with purple neck and head. Long lanceolate plumes on head and neck; gray blue plumes toward front of head and base of neck, and purple plumes on rear of crown and most of neck. Facial skin and base of the bill are bluish-gray, becoming gradually darker and black on the tip. Basic Adult is similar, but lacks plumes. Greenish or gray legs. Immature: white plumage with distinct but often difficult to see dark grayish wingtips. Bi-colored bill is pale grayish on the basal two-thirds and near black on the outer third. First spring: like immature, but starts showing patchy gray-blue on body (often referred to as "calico"). Acquires adult plumage by second year. Immature similar to Reddish Egret and Snowy Egret, but separable by shape and color of bill, lores and legs/feet and lack of dark wingtips. Also very similar to Little Egret, which also lacks dark wingtips.

Length: 61 (cm) Wingspan: 102 (cm)

Voice:

Variety of raspy squawks. Also makes yelping jeeeep.

Habitat:

Most shallow bodies of water.

Behavior:

Forages by stalking slowly and carefully, then grabbing prey. Moves along while foraging, does not stay in one place.

Feeding:

Diet consists of small fish, amphibians, insects, crustaceans and reptiles.