It has a large, thick bill for its body size. The male is almost entirely black with a white wing patch and ivory bill; the female is brown above and buffier below. In Colombia it forages mainly for grass seeds in tall grass near water.
Its large, robust bill is conspicuous for its body size. The male is almost entirely black, with an ivory bill and white wing patch; the female is brown above and a deeper buff below.
The Colombia account places it in tall grass and shrubs near water, riparian woodland, and emergent vegetation around rivers, marshes, and lakes. It eats mainly grass seeds and less often insects.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.