It stood about 70 cm (2 ft 4 in) tall and was very similar to a modern heron in shape.

The species is known from rather fragmentary fossils in the area of Quercy, France; dated remains are from Pech Desse, a Late Oligocene locality, but the original fossil, a single right tarsometatarsus (MNHN QU-15720), isn't precisely dated[2] and may have come from deposits as early as Late Eocene in age.

Proardea was apparently closely related to the true herons and egrets (Ardeinae).

As these genera are only known from the Miocene onwards, Proardea possibly was a direct ancestor of today's herons and/or egrets.

Supposed other species of Proardea, P. perplexa and P. similis, are synonyms of the ibis Geronticus perplexus and the phasianid Miogallus altus, respectively.