A quite large thrushlike bird with a robust beak. Grayish and slightly scaling-looking on the head and back with browner wings and tail, and gray-brown underparts. Similar to Screaming Piha, but it is not uniformly gray. Found in the subcanopy of montane forests. Usually silent, but periodically makes a loud whistles “skeeo-skeeo skeeo-skeeo” with long intervals between bouts.