 It is the only member of the genus Pezopetes.This is a common bird in the undergrowth of mountain forests, second growth, bamboo clumps, and scrubby pastures from 2150 m altitude to the scrubby páramo at 3350 m. It is readily seen in favoured sites such as Cerro de la Muerte.The nest, built by the female, is a large loose cup of plant material placed less than 2 m up in bamboo or a dense shrub.