Small, compact bird with long legs and a short-tail. Found in the understory of dense humid forests and open woodlands. Note the rufous-orange face and breast, pale collar, olive-brown upperparts, and buffy belly. Males have a bold gray eyebrow which is duller in females, resembling Black-cheeked Gnateater, but with a bicolored bill. The subspecies from northeast Brazil is brighter orange and lacks the pale collar.