A plain gray-brown chat that has rusty ear patches and a rufous rump and outer tail feathers that outline an inverted black “T” pattern on the tail. The juvenile is spotted and scaled buff. The species occurs in a broad range of habitats, but favors rocky areas, gullies, outcrops, and buildings, where it often perches conspicuously. It drops to the ground or into a bush to feed on invertebrates and frequently flicks both wings simultaneously and lifts its tail. The similar Sickle-winged Chat has longer legs, a more conspicuous eye-ring, a creamy-orange rump, and a different tail pattern; Brown-tailed Chat also has a different tail pattern.