Adult Plumage:
The forehead, sides of the head, chin, and throat are dark brown. The flanks are white or pale brown. The remaining dorsal plumage is dark mahogany-brown with pale yellowish-tawny feather shafts. The tail is black, with the central tail feathers being long and pointed. The wing coverts are dark mahogany-brown with gray feather shafts; the greater wing coverts and flight feathers are pale black. The sides of the neck are rufous-brown with pale white-streaked feather shafts.
The lower throat and upper breast are mahogany-brown with rufous feather shafts and tips. The abdomen, flanks, and lower breast are yellowish-tawny, tinged with pale gray, and marked with pale black streaks. The rear flanks and undertail coverts are mahogany-brown with yellowish-tawny streaks.
The eyes are dark brown. The beak is lead-gray with a black culmen. The legs are bluish-gray.
Measurements:
Wing: 47 – 55 mm; Tail: 38 – 44 mm; Tarsus: 12 – 13 mm; Bill: 10 – 11 mm.
Distribution:
The species is distributed in Myanmar, Thailand, South China (Yunnan, Hainan), Indochina, Malay Peninsula, and Sumatra.
In Vietnam, the species is common throughout all regions, from North to South.