This softtail occurs in the northern Peruvian Andes. It uses montane and elfin forest near the treeline, where pairs and small groups may join mixed-species flocks.
The upperparts and breast are rufous brown, while the belly and rump are olivaceous brown. The crown and chin are greyish buff, and the bill is bluish horn-colored.
It inhabits montane and elfin forest, often just below the treeline. Pairs and small groups have been seen in mixed-species flocks in the understory, subcanopy, and canopy.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.