The white-crowned cliff chat was formally described in 1902 by the German ornithologist Anton Reichenow, based on a specimen collected in Togo, West Africa.

Males are black above with white shoulder epaulets, which are the largest in T. c. cavernicola, smaller in T. c. bambarae, and variable --- sometimes absent --- in the nominate subspecies,T.

A pale bar separates the breast from the rest of the underparts in T. c. cavernicola, but is absent in T. c. bambarae, and wider in the nominate subspecies.

The female of the nominate subspecies, T. c. coronata, has a paler head, and her entire underpart plumage is rufous.

[7] It is usually seen in pairs and often slowly raises and lowers its tail, fanning it as it lifs it vertically over its back.