"Adult male in breeding plumage.--Above deep bay or dark cinnamon-rufous; varied with whitish edges to feathers, which are mottled with black centers, taking the form of stripes on head and back, and of cross-bars on scapulars; lower back dull ashy brown, with whitish edges; sides of lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts white, the latter tinged with rufous, and showing a few black bars; wing-coverts brown, with whitish edgings, greater series tipped with white, forming a wing-bar; some of the coverts rufous like the back, and some of the inner secondaries also rufous on their edges; primary-coverts and quills darker brown, the latter with white tips, primaries dark brown with white shafts; secondaries fringed with white, more broadly on the shorter ones, which are white at base of inner webs; tail-feathers ashy brown, with white fringes and white shafts; head like the back, but showing less distinct blackish centers to the feathers; hind neck distinctly hoary, owing to the gray edgings of feathers; sides of face and under surface rich vinous-chestnut; with more or less distinct remains of hoary margins; vent and under tail-coverts white, the latter tinged with rufous, and having a few black bars; sides of body and flanks pure white, the latter with a few black bars; under wing-coverts and axillars pure white; lower primary-coverts and upper surface of quills light ashy. Bill and feet black; iris hazel. Length, 188; culmen, 34; wing, 135; tail, 48; tarsus, 29; middle toe with claw, 25. "Adult female in summer plumage.--Like the male but not so richly colored, tint of the under surface duller chestnut, and not so vinous. Length, 178; culmen, 35; wing, 124; tail, 46; tarsus, 29; middle toe with claw, 25. "Adult in winter plumage.--Ashy brown above, slightly mottled with darker centers to the feathers; wing-coverts like the back; quills as in the summer plumage; rump and upper tail-coverts pure white; tail-feathers ashy brown, fringed with white, with white shafts, and a subterminal bar of dusky blackish, the inner webs having a good deal of white at the base; lores dusky, with a supra-loral streak of white; under surface of body pure white, with tiny lines of dusky brown on the sides of face, sides of neck, lower throat, and fore neck. "Young in first autumn plumage.--Similar in general color to the winter plumage of the adult, and distinguished by the absence of rufous color in the plumage of the upper surface; on the under surface the streaks on the fore neck are almost obsolete, and a fulvescent shade overspreads fore neck and chest, in some specimens even extending to the breast itself. On the upper surface it is very similar to the winter plumage of the adult, but has always more distinct pale edgings to the feathers, these being gradually fulvescent, while the mantle is decidedly darker, being blackish, with pale margins to the feathers." (Sharpe.) So far as known this species is a rare winter visitant to the Philippine Islands.