It is endemic to the Philippines, it is found on Luzon, Polillo Islands, Catanduanes, Samar, Bohol and Mindanao.

[2] However, it can be distinguished from the rest as they are rare deep-woods birds with colors that are generally darker brown than P. leucotis, with bills that are noticeably longer and heavier than its tarsus[3] and an extensive bluer purple patch on its mantle.

[2] Some of its physical features include a grey tinge and purplish brown underparts, rich tan undertail-coverts, dark and white sub-ocular eye-lines, reddish-brown chin and throat with darker streaking, shading on breast to medium to darkish dull brown with narrowly edged dark back and scapulars.

[5][6] Four subspecies are recognized:[7] Under the HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World, this has been split into three species.

As the IUCN Red List follows the HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World, it has assessed each split species.

The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as generally rather uncommon, although very common in the Sierra Madre in northern Luzon.