This small mannikin has black plumage and an orange rump. The New Ireland subspecies has grey mottling on the head and nape; the species feeds on seeds in grassland on New Ireland and New Hanover.
In the New Ireland subspecies, adults are mostly black, with grey and black mottling on the head and nape. The rump and uppertail-coverts are chestnut washed with golden yellow.
It feeds on grass and other seeds in dry grassland.
Juveniles from New Ireland are brown, lacking the adults’ chestnut rump and tail. Grey on the head is slight, and the breast and abdomen are pale buff.
Adults from New Ireland have pale tawny-buff underwing-coverts.
The New Hanover subspecies differs from the New Ireland form in having an entirely black head.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.