This large finch occurs in the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama. Males show a strong yellow-and-black pattern, while females and young birds are more olive. It searches for fruit, seeds, and insects in forest canopies and edges.
About 20 cm long, it has a heavy grey bill. The male has a yellow head, rump, and underparts, black wings, tail, and thighs, plus a white wing patch. Females and immatures are duller and more olive.
It forages in trees and shrubs for fruit, seeds, and insects, often in the canopy or at woodland edges.
Breeding records begin around 1,000 m on the Pacific slope and 1,500 m on the Caribbean slope, reaching about 2,600 m.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.