The Golden-winged Manakin lives in humid montane forest in northern South America. Males have a yellow crest and throat, while females are olive-green.
Males are mostly black, with a yellow crest curling over the bill, a yellow chin and throat, and a reddish-brown to orange or pink nape. Yellow in the wings and tail shows in flight. Females are greenish olive.
It uses humid mid- to high-elevation forest and forest edges, usually at 1,000–2,300 m. Males make a slow display on mossy fallen trunks; the birds catch insects in short flights and also eat berries.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.