The Olive-backed Sunbird is one of the sunbirds originally inhabit mangrove habitat, but now can be seen well adapted in urban gardens and parks. It is widely common across southern China to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, Philippines, Java and Australia. The nest of this species is built hanging off the ground often in trees, small bushes even in open areas like eaves of the building and telephone wires (Strange & Jeyarajasingam, 1993; Phillipps, 2014).

With measurements around 11 cm long, the male can easily be recognized by the dark iridescent blue on its face, throat and breast as well as yellow belly and undertail coverts. It also has dark olive upperparts and yellow to orange pectoral tufts usually hidden under the wings. The female species has a similar appearance as the male but lacks dark iridescent blue parts (Strange & Jeyarajasingam, 1993; Jeyarajasingam & Pearson, 2012).