This species is present in lowland habitats where it has been recorded from wet sclerophyll forest, open woodlands, scrub, and over sand dunes. It roosts in tree holes, rock crevices, and in buildings. It is an aerial insectivore that forages over wetlands, including waterholes, marshes, creeks, and sewage ponds, and within forested areas. Females give birth to one or two young (Flannery 1995a, Bonaccorso 1998).

This species has been recorded on the island of New Guinea (present in Papua New Guinea only), on Fergusson Island in the D'Entrecasteaux Islands (Papua New Guinea), and from much of northern Australia (Flannery 1995a,b; Bonaccorso 1998; Kutt et al. 2008). It ranges from sea Level to 300 m asl.

This species occurs in a number of protected areas. Bonaccorso (1998) suggests that local educational campaigns may assist the conservation of this species in New Guinea.