A large antshrike that forages in dense Amazonian understory. PeruAves describes it as rare but widespread south of the Amazon River.
About 23 cm long. The male is blackish with fine white bars and may raise a black cap. The female is rufous-brown with black bars and a rufous crest. Both sexes have yellow irises and a thick, hooked bill.
It forages in dense forest understory in Amazonia.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.