This laughingthrush is endemic to Taiwan's mid-elevation forests. Mainland birds once included within the same species are now treated as Buffy Laughingthrush, Pterorhinus berthemyi.
The sexes are similar. Chestnut covers the head, neck, breast, back, wings, and tail; the crown has fine scale-like markings, the eye area is blue with black behind it, the belly is smoky gray, and the undertail is white.
It inhabits broadleaf forest at middle and lower elevations, moving in groups through the lower forest and shrubs. It eats insects, fruit, and seeds and gives varied, whistling calls.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.