This small tyrant flycatcher has a short bill. The prominence of its white wing bars and the colour of its throat and breast differ between subspecies.
The upperparts are dark brown to grey, with a black crown. The short bill has a black upper mandible and orange lower mandible. White wing bars vary between subspecies: C. c. pallescens has more conspicuous white throat and underparts, while C. c. cinereus is mostly grey below.
It eats insects in semi-deciduous forest, clearings, mixed pasture, wet fields, and gardens. During breeding, the female builds a shallow saucer nest of grasses and fibres, with lichens decorating the outside.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.