A very small and striking gray, white, and black flycatcher-like bird with a very dark crown, a yellow eye, white wingbars, and a white spot above the bill base. Sexes differ: male’s chest band is broad and black, while female’s is gray. Juvenile has a rusty-tinged breast. Pairs are rare and localized residents in secondary forest, forest edge, and plantations. Calls include a series of 5–20 thin short high-pitched “seeet” notes on the same pitch, faster and more monotonous than similar sounds of other batises. Verreaux’s Batis is smaller and has a cleaner, thinner song than West African Batis. Female Verreaux’s also has a gray rather than chestnut breast band.