Its back is green and its underparts are pale cinnamon, with a yellow throat bordered behind by blackish blue. A 2015 field report lists at least five birds of the lafresnayii form at Lake Langano, Ethiopia.
Guérin-Méneville’s 1843 description gives green upperparts and pale cinnamon underparts. It describes a yellow throat broadly edged behind with blackish blue, yellow-rufous secondaries tipped black, and a pale cinnamon tail with a black tip; the two central tail feathers are somewhat shorter and wholly green. It states a total length of 20 cm.
The species account describes grassy areas with light woodland or edges, and a preference for wetter places than the Little Bee-eater. It sallies from perches to catch airborne prey, chiefly insects. A high-pitched three-note call is also described.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.