The wings and crest of are black, the rest of the plumage is grey overall with a white belly, rump and the underside of the tail.

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical evergreen montane forest and surrounding shrubland and bamboo.

Where its range overlaps with the closely related white-bellied crested flycatcher this species is found at higher altitudes and not below 2250 m, where its relative it is absent it ranges as low as 1200 m. The diet of this species is not well studied, although like most flycatchers it feeds on invertebrates including flies, ants, moths and spiders.

They travel in pairs or small family groups, sometimes joining mixed-species feeding flocks.

Two eggs are laid in a small nest in the fork of a branch, usually 2 m high in a tree, but up to 6 m. There is a division of labour between the pair, with the female undertaking all the incubation and the male feeding the chicks once they hatch.