It is a medium-sized forest bird, with grey to blue-grey plumage and large black eyes.

[4] "Grey cuckooshrike" has been designated the official name by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC).

[6] South African names include usinga in Pirie Forest, umsimpofu in Elliotdale and around the mouth of the Mthatha River, and umswinkobe in eastern Pondoland.

[9] The grey cuckooshrike is a medium-sized bird; with a body length of 25–27 cm (10–10.5 in) and weighing between 53–68 g (1.9–2.4 oz).

[11] They both have a blue-grey head and body, with a large jet-black eye with a thin white eye-ring.

They hop on branches and examine the underside of the leaves above for insects, when they see one they snatch the prey and return to their perch before eating it.

[9] Their nests are a shallow bowl shape and constructed by both sexes from Usnea lichen and spider webs, perched 17 to 20 meters up in trees on the forest edge.

[8] The clutch size is one or two eggs which are an oval shape and pale bluish-green with olive and brown spots.

[3][8] The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list has rated the grey cuckooshrike as least concern, indicating it is not threatened.

[1] Population density in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa was calculated to be around six individuals per 4.5 hectares (11 acres).