It is a small bird with greyish-brown upper parts, tannish-white underparts, a black bill and golden-yellow eyes.

Newtonia brunneicauda monticola, Salomonsen 1934- It is found in the Ankaratra mountains of central Madagascar.

It has grayish brown upperparts and is pale warm buff in colour under.

They also have very pale yellow irises with a slender, short, and black bill.

Juveniles look similar to adults, but have browner upperparts, with rufous-brown tips on greater wing coverts and a ginger tinge on their tertials.