They are slender greyish or brown birds with soft, hairlike body feathers. They are typically about 10 cm in body length. They have a long, thin, tail a further 20–24 cm in length. They weigh 45–55 grams. They are arboreal and scurry through the leaves like rodents, in search of berries, fruit and buds. This habit, and their legs, is the reason for the group's English name. They can feed upside down. They have crests and stubby bills.