A medium rail; 25-30 cm TL; 100-142 g; Sexes are alike in appearance Head and neck: Crown and neck reddish brown; eye red; bill relatively long, reddish brown with purplish red base; throat grey.
Body: Upper body dark brown with yellowish brown edges; back and wing feathers with white bars breast and upper abdomen grey; lower abdomen barred black and white.
Limbs and tail: Legs and feet light greyish brown; tail short, dark brown with yellowish brown edges.