Plain and unremarkable babbler; warm rusty-brown with a dark gray face and a streaked crown. Pale eye stands out against the dark face and gives the bird a somewhat crazed appearance. Shy and difficult to see as it forages in dense tangles and undergrowth. Habitat varies within range; most common in lowlands on the mainland, and in foothill and lower montane forest on Borneo and Sumatra. Song variable but consistently high and whistled, often with an ascending quality. Calls include a long, uniform rolling chatter and harsh scolding.