This small babbler inhabits moist evergreen forest in the eastern Himalayas. It searches for insects in dense undergrowth in steep gullies and occurs from eastern Nepal through Bhutan to northeastern India.
It is a small bird about 9 cm long. Adults have an unmarked rufous throat, grey face, black-and-white barred belly, and short, noticeable tail. The sexes are similar; juveniles are warmer above and scaled.
It feeds on insects and stays in dense undergrowth in moist evergreen broadleaf forest. It is associated with steep gullies and secluded valleys with ferns, mossy rocks, and fallen trees, and may make small altitudinal movements.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.