Very small songbird, with a round body, a long, narrow tail, and a small, short bill. Medium to pale gray overall with upperparts slightly darker than underparts. Females have pale yellow irises, while males are dark-eyed. Interior Great Basin subspecies "plumbeus" has brownish auriculars with a pale gray crown, coastal subspecies are brown-capped. The black-eared variant (usually a young male) has a black mask, and is only found in the southwest.

Length: 11 (cm) Wingspan: 15 (cm)

Voice:

Flocks make constant, short tsi notes. Also high pitched see-see.

Habitat:

Semi-open woodlands and forest edge, arid scrub lands, and residential areas.

Behavior:

Forages actively, flitting about. Nearly always found in flocks away from the breeding season; flocks huddle for warmth and move from place to place as a group. Wintering flocks are almost always between 20 and 30 birds.

Feeding:

Eats mainly insects and spiders; occasionally berries and seeds.