Very local. Breeds commonly (September to March) in groves of tamarugo trees in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile; most birds then migrate north to foothills of the Andes in northern Chile and southern Peru. Active and restless, feeding low to high in flowering trees, at times in small flocks. Identified readily by pointed bill, rusty bib, and rusty eyebrow on mostly blue-gray plumage; also note rusty vent and white wing flash. Immature and female average duller than male; briefly held juvenile plumage is heavily streaked below.