White-necked Heron

76 cm-1.06 m; span to 1.6 m. In breeding plumage unmarked white head/neck contrasts with slate-black wings/body; plum-coloured breeding-plumes on back/breast. Bill and legs black. Non-breedingbirds often buffy white, lack coloured plumes, have double line of black spots down foreneck; streaked black below. Juvenile: head/neck buffy white, more plentifully spotted on foreneck. Singles, loose companies to hundreds, in shallow fresh water and grasslands. Flight stately, slow-beating; neck folded; looks big, dark, long-winged in air; easily identified by two prominent white patches ('landing lights') on leading edge of each wing.