The male and female of the species look the same but females tend to be smaller.[3]
The upper parts of the adult are slate grey with a brownish tinge on the rump and upper tail coverts. The throat and neck are greyish white. The breast and abdomen are dark grey, and the vent and undertail coverts are brownish grey with indistinct striation.[3]
The ear coverts are a glossy slate grey. On the side of the neck is a tuft of pointed golden-yellow feathers about 2 cm long.[3]
Immature birds appear similar to the adults but are smaller and less distinctly striated underneath. The tufts on the side of the neck are a paler yellow.[4]
^Mayr, Ernst (1932-02-17). "Birds collected during the Whitney south sea expedition. XVIII. Notes on birds from the Solomon Islands". American Museum Novitates (516): 1–30.
