The total length is about 36cm, Sedentary bird.

In Japan, it inhabits only in Hokkaido.

The male has a short erectile crest and a white-bordered black throat. The female has a shorter crest and lacks the black color on the throat. In flight, this species shows a black-tipped grey tail.

The male has a high-pitched ti-ti-ti-ti-ti call, and the female a liquid tettettettettet. These calls, along with the burr of the flying birds’ wings, are often the only indication of this grouse’s presence, since its shyness and dense woodland habitat make it difficult to see.