Medium-sized bunting with a blackish head and bright lemon yellow underparts. Adult male: Chestnut-brown upperparts, with two broad white wing bars, and black face. Bright yellow underparts with a narrow, chestnut-brown breast band. Sparse black blotchy streaks on flanks. Adult female: Distinctive face pattern with creamy-white median crown stripe, supercilium, ear spot, and throat. Pale sandy-brown auriculars with thin dark border. Grayish-brown upperparts with paler, streaked back and one thin wing bar and white margins on the lesser coverts. Creamy-colored throat, lemony-yellow breast, white belly and undertail coverts, with thin black streaks along entire length of flanks. Immature: Similar to female but slightly paler above and buff replaces yellow on underparts.

Length: 15 (cm) Wingspan: 23 (cm)

Habitat:

In summer, found in shrubby openings, wet meadows or forest edges, often near water. Winters in grasslands or cultivated fields.

Behavior:

Found in large flocks in winter. Feeds on the ground.

Feeding:

Feeds on seeds and insects.