The Lesser Shortwing is a small brown flycatcher with very short wings and tail and a white eyebrow that can become conspicuous when excited. It stays secretive in forest undergrowth.
Adults are brown with whitish underparts and a buff-brown breast and flanks. The white eyebrow is usually inconspicuous but flares when excited. Females are more rufous.
In Hong Kong it is usually solitary and territorial, remaining hidden in low shrubs and forest undergrowth. It feeds mainly on invertebrates.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.