The mangrove hummingbird's are medium sized birds, averaging about 9.5 cm long. They are normally bronze and green. The males have a green crown and underparts, with bronze on their back. The females have a turquoise-green throat and chest, white under parts, and pale green sides. The mangrove hummingbird primarily feeds off the nectar from the flowers of the tea mangrove. It also takes nectar from several other species of plants and feeds on insects. Their nests are made from fluff from the balsa trees, lichens and cobwebs. They live in the branches of the tea mangrove a few meters above the water. Their voice is very soft, and their calls are very rapid, in a descending twitter.