General Appearance:
Male and female birds are very similar. The crown (upper part of the head) is pale bluish-gray with a thin black longitudinal stripe. There is white on the cheeks and below the lower edge of the eye. The chin is reddish-brown with black spots. The neck is yellow with black spots. A white band with black spots is located below the throat. The breast is ashy gray, with scattered, slightly darker markings that fade downwards, becoming white on the belly.
The upper back is reddish-brown, transitioning to darker shades and faint black streaks on the lower back and flanks. The wing coverts and wing feathers have black, white, and reddish-brown spots. The flanks are gray with white and reddish-brown streaks. The eyes are dark brown. The bare skin around the eyes and the base of the beak is reddish-brown. The beak is black. The legs are red.
Measurements:
- Male: Wing: 137 – 147 mm; Tail: 54 – 58 mm; Leg: 38 – 41 mm; Bill: 18 – 19 mm.
- Female: Wing: 134 – 137 mm; Tail: 50 – 55 mm; Leg: 35 – 37 mm; Bill: 15 – 16 mm.
Distribution:
This subspecies of the bird has only been observed in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and in Laos.