In his summer plumage the adult brambling is a handsome bird, well patterned with contrasting colours. The upper wing is mainly black, with the tail, back, mantle, head, nape and sides of the neck also a shiny black. The scapulars and lesser coverts on the upper wing are a pale orange as is the chin and throat which darkens to a bolder orange hue on the breast, upper belly and flanks. The lower back and rump are pale, almost white morphing to a light grey with the uppertail coverts tipped in a light brown shade. Undertail coverts have patches of pale orange whilst the undertail wing coverts are a lemon yellow. The bill is short and stout, either black or dark grey, eyes are brown and the legs and feet are dark brown. In winter or non breeding plumage the adult male changes and loses its black head and neck which become a mottled brown and grey. Strikingly the bill changes colour to yellow with a black tip and the eyes are often surrounded by a buff eye ring. The back is a dark brown and grey and the rump white with the flight feathers being predominantly brown. The adult female is similar to non breeding male birds but with subtle differences in shading to the head, shoulders and underparts. Juveniles replicate the female although are generally a browner shade overall.