This cuckoo has rufous-brown, finely streaked plumage and a long white-tipped tail. The museum account describes the Indian nominate subspecies walking and feeding on the ground in dry scrub.
Its rufous-brown plumage has fine black streaks, and its long graduated tail has white tips.
It occurs singly or in pairs and mainly walks on the ground in broken scrub and thin woodland. It eats insects, lizards, fruits, and berries; the account says it runs well but flies weakly.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.