The hooded dotterel is medium in size for a plover, stocky, and pale in colour. Its length is and its wing-span . It has a black hood and throat with a white collar. Its red bill has a black tip. It has a red eye ring and orange legs. Underparts are white. Males and females are similar. Adults and juveniles are similar except the juveniles do not have the black head and hindneck, which are instead a sandy brown.
