This ground-dwelling tinamou occurs in South America. It walks through forest undergrowth and may use more open grassland and scrub.
It is about 23–27 cm long. The head, neck and breast are grey, the back is chestnut, and the throat is pale. A red bill, grey to purplish legs and black-and-pale flank markings are also described.
By day it forages on the ground for seeds, buds and berries, as well as ants, insects and small snails. It uses deciduous woodland, forest edges, regrowth scrub and grassland.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.