A sparrow with a uniform gray head and underparts, a brown rump, mantle and wings, and a variable (sometimes absent) white wingbar below the shoulders. The bill is black during the breeding season and horn-colored at other times of year. Pairs and small groups are resident in a wide variety of natural and man-altered habitats. The extremely similar Northern Gray-headed Sparrow differs by having a darker head, a more contrasting white throat, and a heavier bill that is dark year-round.