The species has generally greenish upperparts with a reddish rump and a white-tipped dark tail.

The throat is dark brown and the rest of the underparts cinnamon red but for whitish undertail coverts.

[5] The nominate subspecies of black-chinned hermit is found in the eastern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru's Loreto department.

Observations indicate that its breeding season includes July and November in Peru and September in Ecuador.

[5] The IUCN has assessed the black-throated hermit as being of Least Concern, though its population size has not been determined and is believed to be decreasing.