Handsome large bunting with a distinctive face pattern consisting of a dark brown ear patch (black in Japan) and mustache combined with a light eyebrow and throat. Male also has a gray collar and rusty-tinged upperparts and sides. Female has a weaker, paler head pattern, a partial collar, and tan underparts. Common in open areas with a range of different vegetation cover, including forest edges, farmlands, and meadows. The only bunting in its range to give multiple call notes in a series instead of isolated chips.