A very small bird of wooded areas from the lowlands to lower elevations in the mountains. Male has dark upperparts with a greenish crown and rump, a deep purple throat and upper chest, and a bright red lower chest and upper belly. In Sulu and west Mindanao birds, the red on the chest is replaced by yellow with an orange wash. Male is distinctive. Female resembles several other drab female sunbirds, but has a yellow brow and chest and a brown wing. Call is a sharp upslurred “tsweep!”