This bee-eater has blue-purple plumage with a dark brown back and wings. It catches insects by flying out from a high perch in humid forest. The extent of blue on the head differs between eastern and western parts of its range.
The back and wings are dark brown, while most of the remaining plumage is blue-purple. The account describes white from crown to forehead in eastern birds, while birds in the west have blue across the whole head.
It perches high along humid forest edges and small clearings. From a perch it makes short flights to catch insects such as butterflies and bees, then returns to the perch.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.