Expertly camouflaged amongst the fast-moving rocky rivers and streams it prefers, this specialized wader is often difficult to see. Upperparts are gray and faded brown; white belly is bound in by a black belt; a vaguely crescent-shaped black patch on the face is unique among waders. Usually seen foraging solitarily, moving slowly around and between stones and boulders and picking out aquatic invertebrates with its blood-red bill.