Can be distinguished from rather similar looking Purple-rumped Sunbird by its short, stout bill.  Males have dark blue-grey upperparts with white tips on outer tail feathers (less apparent in female), white throat and upper breast.  Rest of the underparts are yellow paling to white on undertail coverts.  Females are generally paler with grey-olive upperparts.  This scarce little bird is confined to the rain forests of the south-western part of the wet zone and the adjacent hills up to about 1000 metres.  Lives either solitary, in pairs or in small family parties.