A distinctive pied thrush. Black above with two strings of white dots in the wing. Underside, chest, and throat white. Feathers are tipped black from belly to shoulder, giving the appearance of arrowhead scales. Seemingly uncommon in dense montane forest above 1500 meters of elevation. Russet-tailed Thrush has a similar shape but is buffy below, rufous above, and heavily scaled. Island Thrush also has a similar shape but is entirely black with bright yellow legs, bill, and eye-ring. Voice little known, but reportedly includes a high-pitched “tsss.”