Medium-sized, rufous babbler with a gray hood, beady pale eye, buff throat patch, and blackish bill and legs. Gregarious, usually encountered within small groups low in the understory, or on the ground, in wet forests of the lowlands and foothills. Can join mixed species flocks. Mixture of gray head, black bill and legs, and paler buff underside identify it from all other babblers on Sri Lanka. Variety of untidy vocalizations given, including scratchy notes, whistles, squeals, metallic “churrs” and “chirps”, and chattering calls, all given in combination.