This laughingthrush relative occurs mainly in southern and central China, with records in Myanmar. It uses forest edges and young growth as well as bamboo and tea plantations.
It is about 22.5–29.5 cm long, with dark-speckled brown upperparts, buff-speckled underparts, a brownish cap, and a long tail.
It feeds on insects and seeds and usually forages on or near the ground. It uses a range of habitats, from broadleaf forest edges and secondary growth to scrub, grass, bamboo, and tea plantations.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.