A fairly large Sylvia warbler with a prominent black hood, a pale whitish eyering, and most importantly a long, broad black tail that lacks white outer tail feathers in contrast to the very similar looking Eastern Orphean Warbler. Favors extensive acacia scrub in large wadis and plains where it is often seen moving lazily in the canopy. Sedentary, but moves fair distances within large territories. Call is a fluty whistle combined with a harsh "Chak" call.