It is a resident breeder in elevated areas of Sub-Saharan Africa (including the Bié and Western High plateaus).

The chin is plain pale grey, and the rest of the underparts are grey-brown with indistinct streaks.

The short, straight, laterally flattened bill is black, the legs and feet are grey, and the eyes are brown.

The African dusky flycatcher builds a cup-shaped nest in a tree cavity a few metres above the ground, and lays two or three green eggs.

It forages from an open perch for insects typically taking its prey in a short flight.