Small plover with a brown back and pale underparts. Distinctive head pattern, with one black stripe behind the eye and another across the forehead. Found on mudflats, on saltpans, and in open fields, sometimes far from water. Generally most common along the coast, though locally common inland. Acts like a typical plover, running and plucking food from the ground. Bold head pattern and lack of chest bands separate adults from other plovers. Plainer juveniles can be confusing, but are smaller than White-fronted and Caspian Plovers.