This small bird combines features of a dove, swallow, and plover. It is soft gray-brown overall with a tan wash on the throat and black lores. Its black-and-white wing pattern is especially noticeable in flight. The bird has an agile, erratic flight style, similar to that of a bat or swallow, and often flies in flocks at dusk. It prefers rocky or sandy islands in rivers but can also be found in marshes, estuaries, and along lakeshores. It is distinguished from other pratincoles in its range by its smaller size and gray plumage. Its call is a high, rolling “chirrit!” that is reminiscent of terns.