棕鬣狗由頭到身長達150厘米。膊頭高88厘米，尾長25厘米。體型比條紋鬣狗細隻。佢另外同條紋鬣狗嘅分別，公乸之間冇大嘅差別thoughmalesmaybeslightlylargerthanthefemales.