The Sahul sunbird was formally described in 1843 by the German naturalist Salomon Müller based on a specimen collected on the west coast of New Guinea.

[3] The species was subsequently moved to the genus Cinnyris that had been introduced in 1816 by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier.

[5] It is found in various habitats including mangroves, forest edge, open scrub as well as parks and gardens.

[7] The elongated hanging nest is 30–60 cm (12–24 in) in length and has a hooded side entrance.

It is constructed by the female using grass, bark, moss, lichens, leaf fragments, vegetable fibres and spider webs.