This honeyeater occurs on Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. Males have a vivid red head, neck, and breast with black wings and tail; females are mostly brown with red on the face and throat. It feeds on nectar in mountain forest and tall secondary growth.
It is about 9–12 cm long. Males have scarlet on the head, neck, breast, and central back, with black wings and tail. Females are mainly brown, with flame-red on the forehead, face, chin, and upper throat.
It uses primary montane forest and tall secondary forest, mainly at 700–2,400 m on Sulawesi. It takes nectar from flowering trees and mistletoes in the canopy and upper middle storey.
It is seen singly, in pairs, or in small groups.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.