 Prior to its separation to the genus "Stagonopleura," the species was classified as Emblema oculata.The red-eared firetail is a small grass-finch with black-barred and white-spotted plumage, distinguished by its scarlet bill, black mask, and bright crimson red patch behind the eye and at the rump.The plumage of the upper parts is olive-brown and the breast is buff-brown, both of which are thinly barred black.