This fantail is endemic to Rennell Island in the southern Solomon Islands. It chases insects in moist lowland forest and along forest edges, moving actively through the understorey.
The head and face are drab brownish gray, with a lighter brown back. The outer edge of the outer tail feathers is white, and the belly is buff.
It uses moist lowland forest, forest edges, and sometimes scrubby second growth. It chases insects in the understorey and may join mixed-species feeding flocks.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.