A medium Accipiter; 47-53 cm TL; Head and neck: short fan-shaped crest with buff edges; crown, crest, cheek, and throat blackish brown; around and in front of eye yellow; eye yellow; bill grey with black tip.
Body: Back and wing coverts dark brown with white spots; breast and abdomen brown with white spots
Limbs and tail: Legs and feet light yellow; toes short; tail dark brown with 2 broad white bands, white tips.