This small chat is widespread across Madagascar. A study of its genes and plumage proposed that the Malagasy population could be treated as a distinct species.
The male has a black head, upperparts, chin, and throat, with chestnut on the upper breast. The amount of chestnut varies among individuals; the female has a brown head and upperparts.
On Madagascar, records include montane heath and scrub, nearby open ground, forest clearings, and secondary growth.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.