This flowerpiercer ranges through the Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia. It uses humid montane forest and high-elevation scrub and grassland.
It is bluish grey with dark red eyes. Compared with the Masked Flowerpiercer, it lacks a prominent black face mask and has a less strongly upturned bill.
It is seen alone or in pairs and may join mixed flocks in the canopy. It pierces flowers to reach nectar, and also takes insects and small fruit.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.