The Rusty Thicketbird is a small songbird known from forests on New Britain. Rust-colored markings extend above the eye, and it has long legs.
Rust-colored sides of the head extend above the eye as a broad eyebrow; the tail is strongly graduated, and the legs and toes are long and strong.
A New Britain survey recorded the species in non-karst forest at 1,400 m and in karst forest at 1,600 m.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.