A gray-backed finch with a white throat and belly, it searches the ground for seeds. It may form winter flocks and live in territorial pairs in summer.
The head, back, and breast are slate gray, with a white throat and belly separated by a gray breast band. White at the tail tip is visible in flight. Females and juveniles are browner.
It mainly picks seeds and buds from the ground and also perches on low trees and fences. The account describes large winter flocks and territorial pairs in summer.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.