A small estrildid finch of a restricted part of Central and East Africa. It uses both dry tropical grassland and humid forest, searching for seeds on the ground or among trees.
The brown back has fine bars, with a red rump and flanks. A black crown, face and tail contrast with white cheeks, nape, throat and chest; the belly is dark.
It is associated with dry tropical grassland and humid tropical forest, where it picks up seeds from the ground and within woodland.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.