Small, relatively long curved bill of medium thickness, sexes similar, races vary by having black breast and broad scarlet keel haematostictum or no black and narrow scarlet keel australe male upperparts glossy blue black; chin and sides of throat white; rest of underparts gray with diagnostic narrow scarlet stripe down center of the breast and belly; underwing and pectoral tufts white.

The Black-belted flowerpecker was once considered a subspecies of Red-keeled flowerpecker but has since been classified as a separate species Feeds on small fruits, mistletoes, flowers and also takes small insects.

Found singly, in pairs or mixed species flocks with other flowerpeckers and small birds.

The IUCN has classified the species as least concern as it is common throughout its wide range.

Its adaptabllity to able to thrive in degraded habitat has made one of the few Philippine endemic birds that does not have a declining population.