In a three-way split of the bar-winged that began in about 2009, the cream-winged cinclodes was recognized as a full species.

C. fuscus was renamed to the present buff-winged cinclodes to avoid confusion with the previous much more complex species.

[6][7] Subspecies C. a. yzurietae has darker brown crown and upperparts and a much whiter breast than the nominate.

C. a. tucumanus has a deep buff wingband and a more reddish back and paler underparts than riojanus.

C. a. rufus is found in northwestern Argentina, in the Campo de Arenal area of Catamarca Province.

[6] The cream-winged cinclodes inhabits a variety of open habitats, most of them grassy such as páramo and puna grassland, nearby agricultural fields, and also arid montane scrublands.

[6][7] The cream-winged cinclodes is mostly a year-round resident throughout its range, though some individuals move to lower elevations in winter, during periods of bad weather, or when favored feeding areas dry up.

It probes and gleans from wet and dry ground, rocks, grass, dung, and shallow water.

In much of its range "its habitats are subject to, at most, only minimal anthropogenic disturbance; probably benefits from effects of grazing".