It is a medium sized bird, and adults of both sexes have similar plumage.
All saddlebacks are extinct on the mainland, and live either in captivity or on islands.
The most endangered of the two species is the South Island saddleback, with only 650 birds in existence. Saddlebacks are found mostly in the middle and lower layers of the forest, and often on the ground, probing through dead wood and leaf litter for weta, grubs and other insects. They also eat fruits of various forest trees, such as kawakawa and coprosma. Saddlebacks were once widespread throughout New Zealand's mainland and island forests. Their decline began in the mid 19th century, caused by forest clearance and introduced predators such as ship rats, feral cats and stoats.