This small cisticola has fine streaks on its head and back. It forages in short grassland; males sing in high flight and sometimes dive with wing-snapping sounds.
The sexes look alike. The head and back are rusty brown with pale and dark streaks, the underside is pale buff, and the tail is very short.
It searches for insects near the ground in short grassland and also takes seeds. A high song flight may include a dive and wing snaps.
The wing and tail feathers are blackish brown with buff edges.
The underside is pale buff, darker on the flanks.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.