A University of the West Indies guide describes this tiny hummingbird as about 10 cm long. The male's throat is slightly darker than the female's; it feeds on nectar and small invertebrates in humid lowland habitats.
The body is brown-bronze with a black down-curved bill. Its dark head has light and dark facial stripes, and its belly is gray-tinted. The male's throat tends to be slightly darker than the female's.
It occurs in humid lowland tropical habitats such as mangroves, gardens, swamps, and plantations. It is usually alone, feeds mainly on nectar, and also takes insects and spiders from leaves, branches, and webs.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.