Large, long-tailed gray, black, and white shrike. The male has completely white underparts, while the female can show a small rufous flank patch. Large white patches at the base of the tail are conspicuous in flight. In the eastern part of the range, found in woodland, savanna, and cultivation. In the west, found only in arid thorn savanna. Always in small and conspicuous groups. The vocalization is given in chorus by a group: a fast, jangling mixture of slurred calls. Distinguished from other black-masked, gray-backed shrikes by the black line connecting the black wing and black face-mask, and by the large white patches in the base of the tail.