Brightly-colored medium-sized laughingthrush. Brownish overall with a sooty-black eyebrow and bright red face and wing panel. Shy and difficult to see; moves through dense undergrowth of tropical broadleaf forest singly, in pairs, or in flocks (sometimes with other species). Song is a short but beautiful bout of whistles and warbling: “chew-cho-chew-cheuuwee.” Also gives loud buzzy and rattling notes when foraging.