Large, long-billed robin that spends much of its time on the ground with tail cocked. The male has bluish upperparts, a dark face, a white supercilium, a broad black tail, and bright orange underparts. The female has gray underparts, a faintly mottled breast, a whitish throat, and orange sides. Breeding habitat is variable, ranging from dry scrubby hillsides and valleys to open oak woodlands and forested ravines with mountain streams. Outside of the breeding season, shows up in a variety of scrubby, often quite dry, habitats. Song is a series of pleasant warbles and scratchy notes, often with repeated elements. Calls similar to nightingales, including clear whistles and a low croak.