This finch inhabits high elevations from northern Chile through southwestern Bolivia to northwestern Argentina. It feeds on seeds on the ground in rocky areas and high-Andean grassland.
The head, neck, and chest are ash-gray, the throat is white, and the back is brick reddish-brown. The belly and undertail are whitish, while the wings and tail are dark. The sexes are alike.
It mainly gathers seeds from the ground in high-Andean grassland, rocky slopes, and wetland edges. It is reported in pairs in the breeding season and sometimes small groups in other seasons.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.