Chocolate-brown nunlet of mature rainforest. Usually fairly rare within its range; seems to occur mostly in upland ‘terra firme’ rainforest, where it occurs singly or in pairs in the undergrowth. Even-brown plumage and dull-orange patch at base of bill distinguish it from Rufous-capped Nunlet, which has a bright red-orange crown and orange throat and breast. Its song is a slow series of rising whistled “weep” notes, given at a rate of about one note per second.