It is found in the eastern Andes of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

[2] The golden-eared tanager was first described as Calliste chrysotis by Bernard du Bus de Gisignies in 1846, on the basis of a specimen collected from Peru.

[4] Golden-eared tanager is the official common name designated by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC).

[5] Other names for the species include golden eared tanager.

The golden-eared tanager is sister to a clade formed by the rest of the species in this group.