Description

Bare throat greenish yellow to orange-yellow in all plumages. Adult has black crown and light gray sides of head; sides of neck and upperparts otherwise blackish narrowly barred buff; median stripe down foreneck white bordered black; remaining underparts dull cinnamon brown. Juvenile buff coarsely barred with black, more mottled and vermiculated on wings; throat, median underparts, and belly whitish.

Habits and Behavior

Usually solitary, feeding on ground near edge of water, but often resting (and also nesting) in trees. Mainly crepuscular, and at times active even at night (as are other tiger-herons). When slushed, often flies off giving a deep harsh croaking, wok-wok-wok, vaguely night-heron-like; also has a low throaty guttural rowhr or wowhr.