Brown-and-white streaked bird with a large head and yellowish bill; white crescent on chest is helpful for identification but can be difficult to see. Inhabits lower and middle levels of tall rainforest, where it is easily overlooked as it sits motionless for long periods before darting to tree trunks, foliage, or ground for large insect and small vertebrate prey. Not common and usually encountered alone. Song is a long, very rapid series of soft piping notes, slowly falling in pitch and only audible at close range; calls include a high, thin, descending whistle, repeated at long intervals. Unlikely to be confused in most of range; distinguished from others in genus by streaked back.