A drab, brownish-green bulbul. Face and tail are darker brown, while the vent is rust-colored. The underparts are paler with a tinge of yellow on the throat and belly. Very similar to Olive Bulbul, with which it does not overlap in range, but the Cachar Bulbul is smaller, less rusty on the vent, and has more obvious yellow on the upperparts. Calls include short, wheezy whistles. Inhabits evergreen forests and plantations, where small groups forage in the mid-canopy.