It climbs trunks and branches while pecking at bark for food, mainly insects. In the Argentine SIB account for the Andean-Patagonian forests, it is more often seen in low valleys during winter.
It is about 16 cm long, with a reddish-brown head and back, white throat and breast, and brown flanks and belly scaled with white. Its long bill curves slightly upward, and the reddish tail feathers end in points.
It lives alone or in pairs and sometimes joins groups of Thorn-tailed Rayaditos. It searches trees for insects, pecking bark in a posture like a woodpecker, and nests in tree cavities.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.