A medium-sized bird of foothill and adjacent lowland forest and edge. Male is uniform slaty gray with a black edge to the wing, black tail tip and a black face. Female is rufous. In some races, the female has a gray crown and others have faint barring on the underparts. Similar to male Common and Papuan Cicadabirds, but male Gray-headed has more gray in the wing. Also similar to female Black Cicadabird, but female Gray-headed Cicadabird has black in the wing and lacks the pale brow. Various upwards and downwards nasal whistles plus an excited chattering.