The Yellow-throated Spadebill is a small bird of cloud-forest understory in the Andes. Its range is patchy; a 2002 field study recorded it at 1,370 m on the Río Rumiyaco in Colombia.
It has a rufous-brown head with a yellowish spot between bill and eye, olive upperparts and pale yellow underparts. Its broad, flat bill is dark above and pale below. A white crown patch with black feather tips is usually hidden in the field.
It uses cloud-forest understory. The species account says it may remain motionless on an exposed perch for long periods.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.