This seed-eating bird lives in montane forests, including parts of East Africa. It has a conspicuously heavy bill and pale wingbars. The guide notes geographic variation in the pale forehead area and streaking.
The field guide describes adults as dark olive-brown, with a pale patch on each side of the forehead and two buffish-white wingbars. The prominence of the forehead patch and wingbars differs among geographic forms.
It lives in montane forest, forest edges, bamboo, and scrub, and feeds on seeds in trees. It is often inconspicuous but sometimes perches to sing.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.