A medium-sized, slender, pipit-like lark with a long tail and a weak bill. It always has a distinctive white eyebrow, a diagnostic brick-red crown that can be raised like a small crest, and reddish sides to the chest. Small to large groups are resident or locally nomadic, occupying cropped grasslands, open fields, edges of wetlands, and other open areas. Surprisingly cryptic on the ground, pairs or small groups run 5-10 meters and then pause, foraging for seeds and insects. The species can also be found drinking at waterholes. Calls include semi-musical chirps and short buzzy notes. The song, often given in an extended undulating pipit-like display flight, consists of semi-musical chirping notes, often in series, often incorporating imitations of other birds.