Medium-sized heavily barred antshrike with a pale iris, and a long tail. Cinnamon on the back and tail with black-and-white bars on the face and underparts. Males have a black cap with a small crest, which is cinnamon-colored in females. The song is loud, usually given as a duet that accelerates towards the end. Found in dense scrub habitats, forest edges, bamboo-dominated forests, and small forest fragments including urban parks.