This blackbird lives in dry scrub and open river-edge woodland in Bolivia's central Andes. Flocks forage on the ground and in fields, eating grains and fruit.
It is described as the only entirely black icterid in its range. Compared with the related Chopi Blackbird, it is stockier and shorter.
It occurs in dry scrub, open woodland along rivers, and agricultural fields. Single-species flocks forage in shrubs, trees, on the ground, and in fields, mainly eating grains and fruit.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.