It is difficult to see in a picture, but the Yellow-rumped tinkerbird is a very small bird, only 10–12 cm long and weighing only 14 grams. Its most distinctive feature is the golden-yellow upper rump, which gave the species its name. It feeds mainly on fruit, but also on insects. The species is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Gambia in the west to Ethiopia and South Africa in the east and south. It is found there in a variety of environments, including moist forests, forest edges, gardens and shrublands, from sea level up to about 3,000 meters in altitude.