The Pale-naped Brush-finch is distributed in the Andes from the extreme south-west of Venezuela to the extreme north of Peru. See the distribution map at NatureServe. It is found at or near the tree-line at between 2,800 and 3,600 metres in the edges and understorey of forest, in elfin forest and shrubs.

Its distinctive central crown stripe is cinnamon orange in the forecrown passing to white on the nape in the nominate form seen in these photos. The southern sub-species A. p. papallactae has a much paler, yellow forecrown.

The song is a series of high-pitched notes and trills.