[3][4] In the early part of the 20th century the empress brilliant was treated as the only member of genus Eugenia, which was later merged into the present Heliodoxa.

The central tail feathers are bronzy green and the others dull black with a bronze gloss.

[6] Immature males have a dull dark bronzy green head, throat, and breast; bright buff chin and sides of the throat; and a duller and bronzier green belly than the adult.

[6] The empress brilliant is found on the Pacific slope of the Andes from Colombia's Chocó Department south into Ecuador as far as Pichincha Province.

A primary source of nectar are the flowers of Marcgravia and Marcgraviastrum vines, where it perches to feed.

In addition to feeding on nectar, it also captures small insects by gleaning from foliage and hawking from a perch.

The few known nests were cups of tree fern scales and other plant material held together with spider silk and lined with soft seed fluff.