A ground-dwelling bird of Patagonia in Argentina and Chile. In southern Chile, a study described its nest and feeding ecology in dry steppe and shrubland.
It has a rounded body, with black-and-white streaks on the head and neck. The back and breast are bluish gray mixed with ochre and marked with black; the belly is ochre and the flight feathers rufous.
In Magallanes, it was recorded in dry Patagonian steppe with tussock grass and shrubs. One nest found in October 2013 held nine green eggs with white spots.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.