This plump wader is smaller than the Snipe, featuring a shorter bill and more distinct markings on its neck and head. Both sexes look alike, and juveniles resemble adults. The upperparts are mainly brown, but in certain light, they exhibit a green and purple sheen, with ornate dark markings on the feathers. Four distinct pale brown stripes run down the back. The crown is dark with buff stripes, and there’s a pale supercilium. The underparts are white, while the neck and breast are streaked.