Medium-sized tanager found in the canopy of humid forests where it normally associates with mixed-species flocks. Males are mostly black with an orange-red crest and chin. They have a small white spot on the shoulder and a buffy rump. Females are uniformly olive-brown. Several subspecies vary in the color of the male’s crest, chin, and rump. The song is a fast and high-pitched series of “tsee” notes.