The Pacific Tuftedcheek occurs in the western Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. Its rufous back and flanks and white spots on a dark breast are distinctive.
Adult examples cited in the SACC proposal have deep rufous backs and flanks, whitish cheeks, a blackish breast marked with white diamond-shaped spots, and a rufous belly.
The species account places it in wet mountain forest from the canopy to mid-levels, as well as at forest edges. Its suggested diet is omitted because that page marks it as presumed.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.