This resident sparrow lives in the forest understory of South America. It uses dry Chaco forest, moist Atlantic Forest and river gallery forest, feeding on fruit, grain and invertebrates.
Males have a mostly black head, white throat and eyebrow, a black front and grey rear to the breast band, pale underparts, and an orange-yellow bill. The flavirostris subspecies has olive upperparts, while polionotus is mostly grey. Females are duller, with a buff wash below.
It is resident in forest understory and eats fruit, grain and invertebrates. It uses dry Chaco forest as well as moist Atlantic and river gallery forest, including mature and second-growth stands.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.