This greenbul is indeed unusually plain, even by the standards of greenbuls, but it does show a pale eye-ring and a throat that is slightly paler than the rest of the dusky underparts. Found in the understory and mid-story of humid forest, from low to fairly high elevations. The call is a short, dry trill. In the west, the song is a couple of whistles followed by a trill; in the east, the song is a short series of up-and-down whistles. Very similar to several other greenbul species. Best distinguished by a combination of vocalizations, size, and the contrastingly paler throat.