Mostly olive, grey and brown in colour with metallic reflections except for a buff-white stripe on the cheek and a rosy patch sweeping along the top of the long, downward-pointing bill.

They feed by touch rather than sight, using their long legs and down-curved bills to probe mud and water for prey.

Males usually gather nest materials, which they ritually offer to their mates.

It has a loud, raucous Haa-Haa-Haa (or Haa-Daa-Daa - hence its name) call which is belted out when they are in flight.