Mainly yellow, black, brown and whitish weaver, distinguished from other weavers by pale blue-grey bill; breeding male has bright yellow crown and broad black breast band; ear coverts, throat may be whitish or brownish, irrespective of region; whitish or pale underparts, with weak streaking on flanks; streaked brown  upperparts; non-breeding male has black cap, yellow supercilium, throat, under-eye crescent; black eye- and malar stripes; sometimes broken breast band; female, juvenile somewhat similar; gregarious even when breeding; colonial nester.