It was formerly conspecific to the northern population of the Calabarzon black-crowned babbler but has since been split as a species due to differences in its yellowish throat and whiter belly.

Has a gray back and cheek with fine pale streaks, dark wings and tail with white outer tail feathers, white underparts, a pale rufous throat, and a black crown.

[3] It is often observed in mixed-species flocks that include Yellow-bellied whistler, Visayan fantail, Chestnut-tailed Jungle Flycatcher, Short-tailed drongo, Black-naped monarch, celestial monarch, Rufous paradise flycatcher, Philippine leaf warbler, Yellow-wattled bulbul, tailorbirds and sunbirds.

One nest was found that was cup shaped made out of moss and woven together with roots with small twigs just one meter above the ground.

Most remaining lowland forest that is not afforded protection leaving it vulnerable to both legal and Illegal logging, conversion into farmlands through Slash-and-burn and mining.