They are medium-sized birds to 30 and 31 cm (11.8 and 12.2 in) respectively and are considered to look like the rails; a family (Rallidae) in which the mesites are sometimes placed.

Both species are ground-nesting and move slowly amongst the undergrowth searching in the leaf litter for invertebrates.

[2][3] The brown mesite is secretive and rarely seen, they live in undisturbed primary, evergreen, humid forest along the eastern coast of Madagascar, from Marojejy National Park in the north to Tôlanaro to the south.

[4] The white-breasted mesite lives in small groups of two to four, usually an adult breeding pair and recent young.

The bird lives in small groups, and can be found in sub-desert spiny forests in a 200 km (120 mi) long and 30–60 km (19–37 mi) wide coastal strip, between the Fiherenana and Mangoky rivers.