Completely nocturnal. Occurs in the upper and mid-storeys of primary montane forest, primarily between 1,500-2,000 m (König et al. 1999, Holt et al. 2020) but has been recorded down to 1,000 m (Becking 1994) and up to 2,500 m (Eaton et al. 2021). The species takes prey from trees and the ground, primarily insects but also occasionally small snakes and lizards (Becking 1994, Holt et al. 2020).

Endemic to Java, Indonesia, primarily being recorded in montane forests in the west (BirdLife International 2001, Eaton et al. 2021, eBird 2024). There is one historical and uncertain record from Ijen in east Java (König et al. 1999, BridLife International 2001) but there have been no records of the species in the east since, and there are no records from central Java (Mittermeier et al. 2014, eBird 2024).

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. The species has been recorded in several protected areas, including Gunung Halimun-Salak National Park where it commonly recorded, Gunung Ciremai National Park and Gunung Sawal Wildlife Reserve.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct extensive nocturnal fieldwork (including mist-netting) on mountains throughout Java to establish its true range and population status, including the number of subpopulations. Formally protect montane forest where the species occurs. Conduct further surveys to understand the rate that the species occurs in trade and the impact this has on the population status and trends.