It is a stocky bird, 23–24 cm long, with a heavy bill and strong legs and feet. The tail is often held cocked. The plumage is mostly brown with white barring on the breast, belly and undertail-coverts. The bird has a dark eyestripe, white eyebrow and a broad white moustachial stripe. The bill and legs are black. The northern race atacamae is smaller and paler with less obvious barring on the underparts.
The nominate subspecies is found in central Chile from northern Bío-Bío Region north to Coquimbo Region. The isolated form atacamae occurs in Atacama Region. Both inhabit arid slopes with rocks and shrubbery from sea level to high in the foothills of the Andes, reaching 3700 metres in the north. It is a mainly ground-dwelling bird which can run quickly. It feeds on invertebrates such as insects and worms.
The song is a series of low, hooting notes lasting for 5 to 10 seconds. Birds often call while perched on top of a rock.The nest is built at the end of a tunnel up to two metres long which is dug in an earth bank or roadside cutting. Two or three white eggs are laid.
