This small tapaculo ranges from the central Andes of Colombia to central Ecuador. A Colombian male specimen shows fine barring near the base of the tail, on the flanks and thighs. Recordings document songs and calls made of rapidly repeated short notes.
The male specimen from La Leonera in the central Andes of Colombia, assigned to this species in the 2010 comparison, shows traces of barring on its upper tail coverts, flanks and thighs. This is one male specimen, not a description of females or young birds.
In the 2010 study, northern birds sang for 4–12 seconds at about 29–40 notes per second. Sixteen of 21 recordings had one to three churring introductory notes. Calls recorded in Huila and Quindio in the central Andes of Colombia consisted of 5–12 notes, delivered at 7–9 notes per second.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.