A proposal in the early 21st century to move it into genus Eugenes was not adopted by major worldwide taxonomic systems.

The blackish purple tail's outermost feathers are much longer and broader than the others.

Its central feathers are green at the base and steel blue at the end.

In addition to nectar, the species feeds on arthropods by gleaning from vegetation and by hawking from a perch.

[7] The IUCN originally assessed the violet-tailed hummingbird as Threatened, then successively as Critically Endangered in 1994 and Vulnerable in 2000.

It has a very small range in which its forest habitat is undergoing continued clearing for agriculture.