A bunting of desert towns and their surroundings. A study in central Algeria also recorded pairs nesting in buildings.
Adults studied in Ghardaïa had gray, white-speckled heads, necks, and breasts, with rusty wings. Males showed clearer head contrast; females tended to be gray-brown with fainter markings.
In the Ghardaïa study area, pairs nested under roofs or in wall holes, and their diet was mainly grass seeds. The study also recorded insects being eaten while raising young.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.