Its back is green with golden highlights, deep reddish uppertail coverts, and a white band on the rump.

[8] The nominate subspecies of butterfly coquette is found from Amazonian Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru into Brazil as far east as Mato Grosso and south into central Bolivia.

[3][8] The butterfly coquette is essentially sedentary, though some short-distance seasonal movement is thought to occur.

[8] The butterfly coquette feeds on nectar, which is mostly sought in the canopy but also at lower levels.

[8] The butterfly coquette is usually silent but makes "short tsip or chip" calls when feeding.

[8] The IUCN has assessed the butterfly coquette as being of Least Concern, though its population size is not known and thought to be decreasing.