Alternatively known as the Southern Yellow Grosbeak, in reference to its former unification with the Yellow Grosbeak (Pheucticus chrysopeplus) of Middle America, the Golden-bellied Grosbeak is found only in South America, where it ranges discontinuously from northeast Venezuela to southernmost Peru. It overlaps in range with another ‘golden-bellied’ grosbeak, the Black-backed Grosbeak (Pheucticus aureoventris), which in contrast has a largely or entirely black head, according to sex. The Golden-bellied Grosbeak is usually a relatively abundant inhabitant of semi-open habitats, including forest borders, cultivated areas with trees, and scrub, and it occurs to 3000 m.