Medium-sized antbird of dense understory and riverside vegetation. Males are deep chestnut-brown, with black throat and white wing spots; females are lighter red-brown above, light tan below, with white wing spots as in male. Typically found in dense vegetation along rivers, particularly common in dense cane stands; sometimes also found away from water around forest edges and in tree fall gaps. Listen for an ascending series of high, whiny notes, decelerating then accelerating.