A strictly fossorial species restricted to light sandy soils, sandy alluvium and coastal sand dunes in southern African subtropical forest and savanna woodland transitions and mosaics. Calcochloris o. chrysillus occurs in coastal forest and savanna (woodland) transitions and mosaics from southern coastal Mozambique to northern KwaZulu Natal. Calcochloris o. limpopoensis occurs in the Miombo savanna (woodland) of eastern Mozambique. Calcochloris o. obtusirostris inhabits Acacia and Mopane savanna (thornveld woodland) in southeastern Mozambique, westwards  along the Changane and Save river systems into the Lowveld grasslands of southeastern Zimbabwe, and the Nyadu Sandveld in northern Kruger National Park, Limpopo Province.

The species lives in close proximity to human settlements and thrives in rural and urban gardens. It also occurs in cultivated and pastoral land and commercial forestry plantations, but the latter is considered suboptimal habitat for the species.

Predominantly insectivorous, this species is highly sensitive to vibrations produced by live insect prey, which include tenebreonid larvae, termites, grasshoppers, flies, moths and also small lizards. Shallow subsurface foraging tunnels are linked to nest chambers amongst roots of trees. Deeper tunnels of up to 20 cm below the soil surface emerging from nests and the species has been recorded to cover distances of up to 50 m between nest chambers and foraging areas (Roberts 1936).

Largely restricted to the Mozambique sand plain. Its ranges from Inhambane district in Mozambique southwards to northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and inland to the eastern slopes of the Lebombo Mountains and the southeastern Lowveld of Zimbabwe.

Calcochloris o. obtusirostris occurs in the Inhambane and Gaza districts of Mozambique, extends westwards along the Changane and Save river systems to marginally intrude into southeastern Zimbabwe and the Nyadu Sandveld in northern Limpopo Province, South Africa. Calcochloris o. limpopoensis occurs in the Masiene district in Mozambique southwards to the southern Mozambican coastal plains near Maputo where it is replaced by C. o. chrysillus. Calcochloris o. chrysillus occurs from Maputo southwards to Maputaland (north of St. Lucia) and in the Ingwavuma and Ubombo districts in northern KwaZulu Natal. Parts of the geographic ranges of C. o. obtusirostris and C. o. chrysillus are within protected areas, but this is not the case for C. o. limpopoiensis (see Threats).

Its cryptic and adaptable nature allows it to coexist successfully with humans. Calcochloris o. chrysillus is adequately protected in KwaZulu Natal at Ndumu Game Reserve, Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, Tembe Elephant Park, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, Lake Sibaya Nature Reserve, and the Maputaland Coastal Forest Reserve. In Mozambique, this subspecies occurs in the Maputo Elephant Reserve. The Transfrontier Conservation Area (South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland) between the Lebombo Mountains and the Indian Ocean now connects the Maputo Elephant Reserve through the Futi Corridor and Lubombo Conservancy to Tembe Elephant Park and protects large areas of suitable habitat of this subspecies.

C. o. obtusirostris has been recorded from the Nyadu Sandveld in northeastern corner of Kruger National Park in South Africa, Gonarezhou National Park in southeastern Zimbabwe and northern part of the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.  These protected areas are part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. The subspecies may also occur in the Gorongoza National Park of central Mozambique.

C. o. limpopoensis has not been recorded from any conservation area in Mozambique.