Olive on the upperparts, darker in the wing and tail, with a blackish mask, dingy yellow underparts, and a pale gray throat.

Similar to Yellow-bellied whistler, but usually found at higher elevations, and has a thinner bill and dark mask.

It is often observed in mixed-species flocks with the Cinnamon ibon, Black-and-cinnamon fantail, Warbling white-eye and other montane Mindanao birds.

As it occurs in rugged and inaccessible mountains, this has allowed a large portion of its habitat to remain intact.

However, the population is still said to be declining, as it is still affected by habitat loss through deforestation, mining, land conversion and slash-and-burn - just not to the same extent as lowland forest.