A bird with separated populations in western, central and eastern Africa. Breeding males are conspicuous for a black head and rump with an orange-yellow back.
Breeding males have a black head and rump and an orange or yellow back; subspecies differ in back colour and breast-band width. Females and nonbreeding males are dark and streaked, with a broad creamy eyebrow.
It occurs in tall grassland, wet or dry bush, scrub and sugar cane. It eats seeds and insects and is seen in pairs or small groups.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.