With its long, slightly decurved bill, flashy black-and-white wings, and ground-loving behavior, this bird is far from a typical jay. Sandy brown overall with a black crown and a thin dark line behind the eye. Clean pale face, less extensive white in the wing, and lack of white on the rump distinguish it from similar-looking Xinjiang Ground-Jay. Inhabits open, dry steppeland and high-altitude semi-desert, where it forages on the ground but often perches up on exposed boulders or snags.