The male of this species is unmistakable, being by far the palest of all tragopans, and the only one with a straw-buff coloured breast and underparts, earning it the alternative common name of yellow-bellied tragopan (2). The upper body is mostly a rich reddish-brown, heavily spotted with buff (4), and the head is blackish except for orange-red patches on the crest and sides of the neck, and conspicuous bare orange facial skin (5). Like other tragopans, males have a brilliant blue and red inflatable lappet hanging from the throat and two fleshy blue ‘horns' above the eyes, which become expanded and erect during courtship (4). The less-colourful female is mottled black and rufous-brown above, with whitish triangular markings, and greyish-brown below, with large white marks (5).