The Common Tody-Flycatcher is a small bird. In Bolivia, records place it in lowland woodland and scrub, where it searches leaves for small animals.
The Birds of Bolivia account gives a length of about 8–8.5 cm, white outer edges to the tail, and no supercilium or streaks on the throat.
Bolivian records describe it alone or in pairs, gleaning arthropods from foliage and sometimes sallying after them. It flicks its tail while feeding and may briefly join loose mixed flocks.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.