This finch occurs in the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia. It forages on the ground in sparse, dry scrub and may be seen in family groups or mixed flocks.
Adult males have bluish-gray heads, wings, and tails, with yellow-rufous to reddish-brown on the body. Females and juveniles are duller; juveniles are described with a dusky malar stripe.
The account reports ground foraging and records the species in family groups and mixed-species flocks.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.