Adult males have a red face and rump, while females have only faint red on the face. The species is mainly found in coastal mangroves, where it feeds on nectar.
This small honeyeater has a short tail. Adult males have a bright red face and rump, black wings and back, and gray underparts. Females have faint red on the face but no red rump.
It mainly feeds on nectar and also eats fruit and insects. In northern Australia, it lives in mangroves, monsoon forest and vegetation along watercourses.
It builds a cup nest among mangrove foliage from bark, leaves and other plant material bound with spider web. The nest is suspended by its rim and lined with softer material.
Juveniles resemble females but have less red on the face.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.