A slim, long-billed sunbird in which breeding males and females are very different. Breeding males are mostly dark green with a red-and-yellow band across the underparts. The belly color is dark green in most of the range, but black in the southeast. Females are plain, with gray-brown upperparts and white underparts tinged with yellow. Found in a wide variety of open habitats including savanna, woodland, and gardens. Similar to Black-bellied Sunbird, but breeding males are separated by the more extensive yellow in their belly band, and females by their reduced streaking below. The common call is a quiet chipping, and the song is a high-pitched jumble typical of sunbirds.