This handsome long-tailed bird is easily recognizable. The breeding male features a black throat and mostly yellow underparts. The breeding female often has some dark coloration on the throat and paler yellow underparts. In all plumages, the bird has a gray head and back, a whitish eyebrow, and a bright yellow belly and vent. It is commonly found near flowing water with nearby rocks or similar habitats, ranging from mountain streams to weirs in suburban parklands. It walks quietly along shorelines or in open areas, pumping its very long, white-sided tail up and down. Its song consists of a repetitive series of high-pitched notes, and its calls include short, high “pseet” sounds and buzzier flight calls.