Small, compact bird with long legs and a short tail. Inhabits the dense understory of humid forests and second growth where it can be very difficult to see. Males are olive-brown above and gray below, with a rufous crown, a black face, and a white throat. Females lack the black face and have buffy-brown body with a white throat and eyebrow resembling Rufous Gnateater, but female Black-cheeked Gnateaters have an all dark bill (not bicolored as in Rufous Gnateater).