The Brown-chested lapwing is small (23 cm) compared to other lapwings. It has a rusty-brown forehead and a black crown. The breast is grey-white above and transitions into a brown belly band with a sharp edge to the white belly. It is a migratory bird that breeds in West Africa and winters in East Africa. It occurs in open savanna or shrubland. It feeds on insects such as ants that it picks from loose soil. The species appears to be monogamous.