Its upperparts, head and neck are streaked and patterned with dark brown and buff, and gold edges to the feathers form distinct lines down its back.

The sexes are similar, but females are longer billed; immature birds differ only in showing pale fringes on the wing coverts.

The noble snipe is found high altitude wet grassland marshes and swamps from 2,700 – 4,200 m. Little is known of its biology, but it has an aerial display, which involves flying high in circles, followed by a powerful stoop during which the bird makes a drumming sound, caused by vibrations of modified outer tail feathers, lower pitched than that of common snipe.

It forages by pushing its long bill deep into the mud seeking insects and worms.

Its cryptic plumage provides effective camouflage when the bird stands motionless amongst marsh vegetation.