A yellowish finch of the Andes, often found in flocks at forest edges and in páramo. The black head marking of females varies between northern and southern populations.
The male has a black cap and a bright yellow wing patch. Southern females resemble males, while females in northern populations lack the black cap.
It forms small flocks at forest edges, in scrubby habitats, and in páramo from 1,800 to 3,700 m. It can join mixed flocks with Hooded Siskins.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.