It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, where its habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

The adult male has a black head, throat and chest glossed with green and mid-green upper parts, with pale tips to the tertial feathers of the wings.

There is a yellow rim to the dark chest and the underparts are otherwise yellowish, usually mottled or streaked with green.

The female is similar to the male apart from the replacement of the black areas by green, and the absence of the yellow necklace.

[3] P. riefferii is native to the lower and mid-level mountain forests on the eastern side of the Andes in South America.