the chin, throat, and the area between the bill and throat are black. The upperparts are light brown, streaked with black, and the brown wings have two distinct narrow white bars. The legs are pale brown, and the bill is lead-blue in summer, becoming almost black in winter.

This sparrow is distinctive within its genus because there are no plumage differences between the sexes. Juveniles also resemble adults, although their colours tend to be duller. Its contrasting face pattern makes this species easily identifiable in all plumages; the