This small sparrow-family bird lives in dry highlands of Tibet and the Himalayas. It searches for food on the ground.
It is about 15 cm long, with a short tail and a short, steeply triangular bill. A broad white stripe shows on the folded wing; the neck sides are pale rufous, and the throat and face have black markings. Females have greyer head markings than males, and winter plumage is buffier.
By day it feeds on seeds and insects on the ground, running and digging with its legs and bill. It is often seen in pairs or small flocks and may join larger mixed flocks in winter.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.