They have a shrill call given regularly and has been likened to snipping scissors and a staccato tsit.

[4] The species was first described by Edward Blyth in 1843 based on a specimen obtained from Nepal by B H Hodgson.

In its habits it is very like the Dicaeum, frequenting the tops of trees, and keeping itself well out of sight...It is found widely distributed along the sub-Himalayan region in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh[10][11] and extends into Southeast Asia into Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The remaining are insular populations and include formosum of Taiwan, luzoniense of Luzon, bonga of Samar and apo of the Negros and Mindanao.

[12][13] Many island forms show patterns of very restricted ranges or micro-endemism and it has been suggested that these be treated with care for conservation planning.

[14] The populations found in the Philippines have males with the underparts similar to D. monticolum while the females have a steel-green gloss on the upperparts unlike the dull green of more northern forms.

The nest is thin and felt-like, made up of the hairy coverings of stems from mistletoes.

[16][17] In Hong Kong, their population is believed to have increased with maturation of restored forest.