The female has a grey head, olive upperparts becoming brighter and paler on the rump, brownish wings and tail and ochre underparts.

Immatures have an orange tint to the underparts and rump, and look like a paler and duller female Cherrie's tanager.

Its song consists of a few clear pleasant notes, delivered in shorter phrases than that of its Pacific relative.

It is very common from sea level to 1200 m altitude, and occurs occasionally up to 1700 m. The preferred habitat is semi-open areas including light second growth, woodland edges, gardens and pasture with bushes.

Passerini's tanagers occur in pairs, small groups, or as part of a mixed-species feeding flock, and up to a dozen birds may roost together in dense thickets at night.