Fairly common in the high Andes, where found at bogs, lakeshores, along streams, in agricultural areas of villages, usually near water. Feeds on the ground with a hopping and shuffling gait, sometimes cocking tail. Often in same areas as similar but larger and less numerous White-winged Cinclodes. Cream-winged is distinguished by duller brown (less rusty) upperparts, pale buffy tail corners (bold white on White-winged), and narrower white wing stripe shown in raised wing song display.