Males have predominantly yellow-olive plumage with a red head and throat and females have yellow forecrowns.

The nominate male's forecrown, face, throat and upper chest are red and the rest of the upperparts bright yellow-olive.

The throat and chest are yellow that fades to buffy white toward the vent area.

The nominate is found discontinuously from Jalisco state south to eastern Oaxaca.

It favors the mid level of the trees or higher and tends to stay in the foliage though it will sometimes forage at the ends of branches.

[7] The red-headed tanager's nest is a cup of fine twigs placed at middle to upper height in a tree.