The black chin, black buff-edged flank features and scaly back render this species unmistakable. Gregarious birds, they build huge, communal nests that appear to 'thatch' the trees or telephone poles in which they are built.
Juvenile lacks the black face mask of adult and has reduced flank markings.
Dry thornveld and broad-leaved woodland.
A chattering 'chicker-chicker', given in flight.