This small batis occurs mainly in western Central Africa. Males have a black facial mask and breast band, while females have a rufous breast band; the species uses forest and woodland.
Males have a slaty crown, black mask, white nape spot and throat, and black breast band. Females are browner, with a rufous breast band.
It is recorded in dry forest, woodland, forest remnants and edges. Oiseaux.net classifies it as an invertebrate feeder that takes prey from surface vegetation.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.