A large, gray-backed wheatear of arid zones with a strong bill and short wings. Note pale-fringed wing feathers, broad tail with a dark brown terminal band, and pale cinnamon tail-base and lower rump. Male has a black face and throat and a darker gray back than the female who sports a cinnamon head. Nests in burrows in flat sandy or stony desert or semi-desert. Call is a dry “Prrt.” Song is a mix of deep flutelike notes and scratches.