In New Zealand, this small rail hides among dense wetland vegetation. Its red eyes stand out, and it is most active at dim times of day.
The upperparts are dark brown and the underparts dark bluish grey. It has a stout black bill, orange-pink legs, and bright red eyes.
It is very secretive and seldom strays far from plant cover. It eats seeds, fruit, and leaves as well as insects, spiders, and other invertebrates.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.