Superficially similar to North American rosy-finches, this species is generally more streaked above and mottled looking below. Adults distinguished from North American counterparts by their buffy-bronze collar and nape and bright corn-yellow bill. The face is charcoal gray in contrast to the buffy bronze hindcrown, nape and collar. Upperparts are mostly warm dark brown with thin pale buff streaking. The wings are dusky with extensive pink margins to the flight and covert feathers. Pink more restricted on females. Underparts are a mix of brown and gray with pale whitish to pink tips on the breast and belly feathers, which creates a somewhat starling-like dappled pattern. Juveniles and immatures are duller, with less pink and weaker streaking above and below. Pink is restricted to the coverts in adult females and immatures.

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Like other rosy-finches, this species feeds almost exclusively on the ground, inching along picking up seeds.