The male's upperparts are brown with white, buff, tawny, and black streaks, speckles, and spots.

The breast is brown with a buff or tawny band separating it from the buffish upper belly and flanks.

The female is lighter overall, with more of a buffy or tawny background color, and the wing coverts are buff, not white.

It captures its insect prey by sallying from an exposed perch, but the details of its diet remain unknown.

[5] The Andean potoo roosts during the day on large branches, including those that project above the canopy.

"[5] The IUCN has assessed the Andean potoo as being of Least Concern, though its population is unknown and believed to be decreasing.