As gray as the high cliffs, rocky meadows, and glacial moraines it frequents, this mountain-finch is often quite tame and will often take food from monasteries and local highland villages. The dark head and plain body of breeding adults are unique amongst the passerines in its range. Nonbreeding birds are paler-headed, but still retain some of the darkness, especially near the bill, and are less well-marked on the back than Plain Mountain-Finch.