Red-wattled Lapwings have a light brown back and wings with a purple sheen near the shoulders, black primaries and white scapulars, that in flight form a distinctive white V-shape. It has a short white tail with a black bar towards the end, which is only visible during flight.

The head, chest and front part of the neck are black with a red fleshy wattle in front of each eye. The bill is red with a black tip and it has a large white patch behind the eyes. When it feels threatened it will perform distraction displays and make loud piercing alarm calls to chase predators away from its nest.