Rufous-brown on the crown, back, wings, and tail, with a gray chest and a blackish throat and face, all with fine white streaking.

Apart from its range, It is differentiated by a darker smoky plumage compared to the reddish-brown Mindanao pygmy babbler.

They have been observed to join mixed species flocks foraging through the middle-storey and lower cannopy.

It has been assessed as Near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature with the population continuing to decline due to habitat loss from illegal logging, land-conversion and slash-and-burn.

While this area is listed as a national park, protection is lax and illegal logging and habitat encroachment are still rampant.