A dark scrubfowl of lowland and foothill forest. Dark, sooty gray underparts and neck, dark brown back and wings, dark legs, reddish face or throat, yellowish bill and an obvious pointy crest at the back of the head. Very adept at scraping and digging with its large feet. Defends its nest mound by kicking material over potential nest predators. Vocal with yelping, parrotlike calls. Much smaller than Red-legged Brushturkey and New Guinea Scrubfowl has dark legs.