The dorsal fur is a uniform yellowish-grey and there is no vertebral stripe as there is in the long-tailed birch mouse (Sicista caudata).

The long tail is semi-prehensile and assists it by winding round small branches when it scrambles about in bushes and low vegetation.

It feeds mainly on insects, molluscs and earthworms early in the year, moving on to a diet of berries and seeds in the summer and autumn.

[1] The Tien Shan birch mouse has a wide range and is locally abundant, though its population fluctuates considerably.

No specific threats have been identified and there are several protected areas within its distribution range, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being of "least concern".