Looks like a ball of fluff with legs and a stubby beak; very short-tailed, with a compact body. Males are grayish brown with a gray face and eyebrow; females are orangey tan with a tan eyebrow. Both sexes have unique white head plumes that they raise when agitated. Its call is often overlooked but is a good way to find one: listen for a single short, explosive note: “shrECK.”