A chunky, dark thrush-like bird. It often looks black, but good lighting reveals a dark gray-brown coloration. Large white panels in the outer wing are inconspicuous or invisible when perched, but conspicuous in flight. Found in grassland, open savanna, and farmland, often in areas with lots of termite mounds. Somewhat similar to Sooty Chat and White-fronted Black-Chat, but easily distinguished by the large white patches in the outer wing. The song is a repetitive mix of conversational phrases. The call is a single pure “chwee.”