Larger than Lesser Striped Swallow, this species appears very much paler, with the striping on the buffy underparts discernible only at close range. The orange on the crown is slightly paler, and on the rump it is much paler. There is no rufous on the vent, and the ear coverts are white.
Juvenile has a little blue-black gloss above, a reddish-brown crown, and a partial brown band on the breast.
Grassland and vleis.
A twittering 'chissick'.