The Golden Tanager at first glance may resemble a bit the Silver-throated Tanager due to their similar body form, however the Golden is much darker in coloration with an orange body, and lacks the distinctive white throat of the Silver-thorated. Instead, it features a black ear patch. The back has heavy black markings all around, and the wings also are very contrasty. They readily come to fruit feeders and shares a space with other tanagers and honeycreepers.

The Golden Tanager is pretty unique in coloration. The color varies from dark to pale like in this individual. The black ear spot is very conspicuous.

This other individual is darker overall. They visited the fruit feeders at Finca Alejandría in big numbers, around thirty individuals would swarm to the same feeder at a time.