Males of the species have ornate patterns and markings, a combination of an orange crown and face set against a black head and streaked throat.

[2] Common hill-partridges are mostly seen in pairs or small coveys of up to 10 individuals that may be made up of family groups.

In captivity the structure is generally unstable unless supported, typically within low-growing vegetation or roots.

The food of the common hill-partridge comprises seeds and various invertebrates, which it collects by scratching in leaf litter.

The common hill-partridge range spans over a narrow band from the western Himalayas to north Vietnam.