The Gilded Barbet is closely related to toucans. This species is notable for its distinctive physical appearance. It measures approximately 8 inches in length and is characterized by a robust, large-headed body with a stubby bill. The Gilded Barbet's plumage is striking, with the upperparts, tail, wings, and mask primarily black. It features a yellow spotty bar over the greater wing coverts and narrow yellow eyebrows extending as parallel lines over the mantle. The belly is pale yellow with black streaking on the flanks. Depending on the subspecies, the throat color ranges from red to orange, and the crown varies from deep yellow to reddish-orange. Females resemble males but have distinctive features, such as extensive orange-yellow edging to the wing-coverts and yellowish streaking to the auriculars and back. Both sexes have dark maroon irides, greyish legs, and a broadly black-tipped grey bill. The Gilded Barbet is found in various South American countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are primarily tropical moist lowland forests and woodlands, often occurring in lowlands but also extending into the lower foothills of the eastern Andes. It mainly feeds on fruits, showcasing its frugivorous nature. The bird's range includes the Orinoco River Basin and western Amazon Basin, with a notable presence in the eastern Andes drainages and rivers of the western Amazon Basin. Its range in Venezuela covers the eastern side of the Caribbean north-flowing Orinoco River, avoiding the lower-half riverine strip by about 93 miles.
Currently, the Gilded Barbet is evaluated as being of "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List.