The Crimson-winged Finch is distributed in north-west Africa in Morocco and north-east Algeria. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. It is found at between 2,400 and 3,600 metres on mountain slopes above the tree line. They seem easier to find when they are near the snow-line and are often in fairly large flocks.

The female, seen here in photo 3, is duller than the male.

Some authorities lump it as a sub-species of Crimson-winged Finch R. sanguineus but it is treated as a species by the HBW and Birdlife International checklist.