Black-brown mottling adjacent to these bands usually highlights this pattern. The shoulders are variably tipped and edged whitish, forming ragged pale 'braces'. The face is either pale rufous-buff, or deep buff with a tinge of rufous. The semi-circles and narrow ring surrounding the eyes are buff. The facial ruff is densely flecked and edged dark brown, forming a very narrow, dark edge to the facial disc.
Underparts are whitish or buff.
Tail feathers are tawny to tawny-chestnut, with the outer feathers barred dark brown. All tail feathers are tipped greyish-white or buffish. Legs are feathered and white with some brownish speckling. The claws are blackish with dirty white bases. Grey-brown birds have the same basic pattern as brown birds, though all the browns are replaced by a much greyer hue.