The combination of grey head, white throat, a yellow breast (sometimes with a small black, lower bar in males from the south), red eye and white belly is diagnostic.
Sexes alike but female always lacks the black breast bar. Juvenile is paler yellow on the breast than adult.
Frequents a wide range of woodland habitats but avoinds montane evergreen forests.
A fast buzzy 'chizzick-chizzick-chizzick', like that of lesser honeyguide but more rapid. Pairs often call in duet.