This prinia is endemic to São Tomé. The study reports it as common in disturbed and edge habitats such as savanna, plantations, farmland and gardens, but rare and locally distributed in the primary-forest sites surveyed. It feeds low in the vegetation, from leaf undersides or the ground.
It has a rufous-brown crown, a chestnut face, a grey nape, and grey upperparts lightly washed with olive.
It forages low in undergrowth, taking food from the undersides of leaves or from the ground. Stomach contents included beetles, caterpillars and plant matter. The paper usually observed groups of about five to six birds.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.