Adult Plumage:
The cheeks and ears are initially reddish-brown or pale reddish-brown, with the body feathers being black. The dorsal plumage is pale brownish-black, with each feather having a wide reddish-brown edge and a pale reddish-brown spot near the tip, except on the head and neck. The outer scapular feathers are white or reddish-brown on the outer vane. The wing coverts are pale brownish-black, similar to the back but with wider streaks. The tail is dark brown with a pale white tip and three or four pale white bands. The underparts are pale reddish-brown with narrow, dark brown streaks along the feather shafts; these streaks are wider and more numerous on the breast and flanks. There is often a small white spot on the throat.
Juvenile Plumage:
The juvenile plumage is similar to the adult plumage but with more reddish-brown coloration, fewer white streaks on the back, and narrower dark streaks. The tail has five or six narrow, pale white transverse bars. The underparts have indistinct dark brown streaks and very thin lines. The eyes are yellow. The beak is horn-brown, with a slightly paler tip. The base of the beak is grayish-blue. The legs are pale yellowish-brown.
Measurements:
- Wing: 320 – 390 mm
- Tail: 160 – 181 mm
- Tarsus: 70 – 80 mm
- Bill: 40 – 42 mm
Distribution:
This species is distributed in Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indochina, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. In Vietnam, this species has been recorded in Thừa Thiên, Hà Tĩnh, and the South.