In Lao PDR, this species evidently occurs at higher densities in edge, secondary and heavily disturbed forest than in little-encroached forest, although it does also occur in the latter (Timmins and Duckworth 2008). It occurs in evergreen forest and semi-evergreen forests and the secondary habitats derived from them, being absent from deciduous areas (Timmins and Duckworth 2008).

This species occurs only east of the Mekong, in southern Yunnan province, China, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam (Moore and Tate 1965, Wang 2003, Timmins and Duckworth 2008). It occurs south to north-east Savannakhet province, Lao PDR (Duckworth et al. 2010). Smith and Xie (2008) wrongly mapped the species as occurring west of the River Mekong.

It occurs from Mekong plain level (160 m), potentially lower in Viet Nam although no explicit such record traced, to the highlands, at least to 2,000 m in both Lao PDR and Viet Nam (J. W. Duckworth pers. comm. 2016).

This species occurs in many protected areas in Lao PDR (Duckworth et al. 1999). It probably occurs in protected areas in China. It has been regionally Red Listed, in China, as Vulnerable A1cd; B1ab(iii) (Wang and Xie 2004).