This species is an inhabitant of primary and secondary rainforest, and has also been found in peat swamp forest (Indonesia Red List Assessment Workshop May 2017). It is widely distributed through the forest, probably in higher strata, and descends to the shrub layer and forms breeding aggregations around rain pools, even at the edge of forest. It breeds at swampy forest pools, and lays its eggs in arboreal foam nests (Das et al. 2007).

This species is known from several localities in Peninsular Malaysia (and Pulau Tiga Island) and is widespread in Sumatra (including Siberut and Sipora), Borneo (Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia), and the Philippines (Mindanao, Negros, Bohol and Luzon). It is also found in Cebu, Basilan, Leyte, Camiguin, Panay and Dinagat in the Philippines (A. Diesmos pers. comm. March 2018). Furthermore, it is known from Thailand (Chan-ard 2003), and has recently been recorded from Pulau Bangkaru in Sumatra (Tapley and Muurmans 2011). It probably occurs more widely than current records suggest, especially in areas between known sites. It has been recorded up to 1,100 m asl.

Conservation Actions In-Place
This species occurs in several protected areas including Aurora Memorial National Park on Luzon, Philippines (Brown et al. 2000), Crocker Range National Park in Sabah, Indonesia (Das 2006), Kerinci Seblat National Park, Batang Toru Protection Forest, and Berbak National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia (Kurniati 2008), and Gunung Palung National Park, Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park, and Bukit Batikap Protected Forest in Kalimantan, Indonesia (Indonesia Red List Assessment Workshop May 2017).

Conservation Needed
Effective preservation of lowland forest and prevention of further deforestation is needed to conserve this species.

Research Needed
Further research on this species' distribution, population size and trends is recommended.