A small drab bird of montane forest understory. Pale brown underparts, warm brown back and crown, rufous wing and tail feathers and a rusty-tinged face. Similar to Papuan Scrubwren but Large Scrubwren is usually found higher, is larger and lacks pale bases to the wing feathers. Overlaps with other scrubwren species at lower elevations but Large, is distinctly bigger. An energetic, warblerlike up-and-down song. Call, a dry “chat”.