Tall, distinctively-colored crake. Grayish-brown body, with a big orange hood over the head and upper body; bright red eye. Not as closely associated with water as other crakes and rails; usually found in dense secondary growth. Early bamboo growth seems to be its favored habitat in some areas. Its song is often given in duet; a bouncing two-part whistle: “toot, toorrr, toot, toorrr…” that is easily imitated.