Characterization: Large species measuring about 88 cm in length. The male is black, has white feathers on its wings and a grayish tail. The female has a brownish-pale chest and neck. Young individuals are a darkish, they have a brown back and a pale yellow beak. 

Distribution: From the Southern United States to Mexico and South America.

Habitat: Lakes, ponds, rivers, and dams.

Habits: Daytime and aquatic species. It usually lands on dry branches and spreads its wings to dry them and to adjust its body temperature.

Diet: Carnivorous, feeding on aquatic insects, crustaceans, and fish.

Breeding: It lays its eggs in a nest built in trees, in heron colonies.

In the UFRA area: This species is considered rare at the studied farms, as it was spotted only twice. Its occurrence was restricted to wetlands with herbaceous plants and floodplains with riparian forests.