This chunky finch is restricted to the mountains of northern Somalia. Pairs and small groups are reported in thorn scrub and riverine vegetation.
It is a chunky gray-brown finch with a massive dark bill, a dark-brown cap, and a blackish mask that extends to the throat. Females have a paler forehead and crown; juveniles are streaked and have a more diffuse mask.
Its ecology is poorly known. The eBird species account reports pairs and small groups frequenting thorn scrub and riverine vegetation in the northern Somali mountains.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.