A medium-sized, long-billed bird of primary lowland and foothill forest with a white throat and belly, brown wings and tail, a black mask, a dark crown finely streaked white, and black sides broadly streaked white. Sometimes joins mixed-species flocks, where it often investigates under bark with its long bill. Resembles the other rhabdornis species, but usually found at lower elevations, and has a dark crown streaked with white rather than a gray crown. Voice consists of high-pitched chips, sometimes sped up into a chatter.