Mostly sooty gray waterbird with a white beak and frontal shield. Breeding adults have two small reddish horns, but at other times difficult to separate from Eurasian Coot. Feathering on the side of the upper mandible is rounded rather than pointed. The bill is blueish rather than pinkish and in flight it lacks the white edge on the secondaries seen on Eurasian Coot. Found in open freshwater including lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and lagoons.