The short, broad beak is black, the brown eye is surrounded by a white eye ring, and the legs are greyish-brown or dark grey. The juvenile is similar to the adults but the colours are more muted. This species could be confused with the black-bellied seedcracker but the two species do not share a common range.
The short, broad beak is ebony-colored, the brown eye is encircled by a white eye ring, and the legs are greyish-brown or dark grey. The juvenile resembles the adults but with more subdued colors. This species can be mistaken for the black-bellied seedcracker due to its similar appearance, however, the two do not coexist in the same geographic area.