It is a large, bulky, thick-necked, reed bird resembling a squacco heron. It is light-colored, light brown, beige coat with black spots and stripes along the front of its neck. It usually lives in dense vegetation and reeds that remain at a certain level and form shallows. It reaches forward suddenly and catches its prey. It preys on fish, amphibians and insects. It also eats leeches, worms, crustaceans, spiders, lizards, small birds and small mammals. It also hunts while wandering along coastal areas or in places where it remains stationary and hidden. Due to its nature, it is quite difficult to observe while hunting.
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