A flycatcher that walks on the ground near lakes, rivers and wetlands to find insects. Birds in north-western Patagonia spend summer there and move to central Argentina in winter.
The male is black with a reddish-chestnut back, black bill and legs. The female has a brownish head and grayish underparts.
It feeds mainly on insects, along with spiders and seeds. It walks on shores and catches insects with short runs or brief flights.
In the coastal dunes of northern Algarrobo, Chile, one nest containing three eggs was found during the 1995–1996 breeding season.
The three eggs in that nest measured 19.0–19.5 mm long and 14.5–15.0 mm wide.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.