The bird is more or less brown all over, with an extensive black area on upper breast and uniform rufous-buff remainder of underparts. The similar Spot-breasted Parrotbill, a close relative, has arrow-shaped spotting on breast and pale buff underparts. The voice is a gruff howh, jeehw or jahw, the song a rhythmic series, aw jahw jahw jahw and uhwi uhwi uhwi uhwi. Alternatively, a higher-pitched wi chi'chi'chi'chi'chi, wi yi'yi'yi'yi'yi; wi'uwi-uwi-uwi wi chu-chu-chu is given.
The Gould's Parrotbill is classified as Vulnerable (VU), considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Nothing known about the Gould's Parrotbill