This thrush lives in humid montane forest on the eastern Andean slope. A broad white cheek-and-ear stripe stands out against its dark head and underparts.
The back and flanks are chestnut, while the head and underparts are black. A broad white stripe runs below the eye across the cheek and ear area; the black tail has white on the outer feathers.
It feeds mainly in the subcanopy of humid montane forest. The source describes it as common but discreet within that habitat.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.