Boldly patterned black-and-red bushshrike with pale eyes. The immature has pale underparts with fine dark bars. Found in thick woodland, lush scrub, and overgrown cultivation, where it usually skulks in the undergrowth. The male gives a rising, whistled “wheeo-eo,” and the female a low ratcheting call. These two are often given in a perfectly synchronized duet. Similar to Papyrus and Yellow-crowned Gonoleks, but has an all-black rather than yellow crown.