This beautiful bird is migratory and can be seen in the city of Rio de Janeiro from April until mid-October. It measures between 13 and 14 centimeters in length. During the reproduction period, the male has bright red plumage, with a black mask at eye level that extends from the back to the wings, also dark. In the female, in the young male and in the male outside the reproductive period, the plumage acquires gray tones, with darker streaks at the height of the chest. It feeds on insects, caught in the air or on the ground, always returning to its original perch. It can be seen occasionally in the grassy regions of the Campus of Praia Vermelha, hunting for insects.