Despite its large size, this bird is very difficult to spot. Its colour and design make it surprisingly mimetic with the reed environment it inhabits. When it feels threatened, it enhances this mimicry by extending its neck upwards and the lines on its chest, which help it to camouflage itself even better.

In Spanish it is known as avetoro (bittern), as in spring these birds make a sound very similar to that of cows or bulls.