This antwren is tiny, round, and short-tailed. There are no bright colors, just a mix of buffy underparts and grayer-brown upperparts. Look for the male’s distinctive black-and-white spotting on throat. Female lacks this feature, but note her dark wing with buffy spots. Both sexes have a pale eye. Found in pairs or small flocks, usually in the lower levels of forests. Often joins larger mixed-species flocks.