This is a diurnal, almost wholly arboreal snake of open forest and savanna (from moist savanna to semi-desert - Spawls et al. 2002). It is particularly associated with savanna woodland and thornbush (Largen and Rasmussen 1993) and usually absent from high grassland and dense forest (Spawls et al. 2002). This fast-moving snake preys on arboreal lizards, including chameleons and agamas as well as smaller lizards (Trape and Mané 2006), but will also take rodents, frogs, nestlings and bird eggs (Spawls et al. 2002). Females lay 8 to 25 eggs in warm, moist microhabitats such as deep holes or damp tree hollows (Spawls et al. 2002). Incubation time is 3–4 months in East Africa (Spawls et al. 2002).

This snake is very widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal in the west to East Africa (north to Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia - Largen 1997), and south to South Africa (Trape and Mané 2006). In West Africa it has been reported from Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cöte d'Ivoire, Ghana, southern Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Cameroon (Trape and Mané 2006), and also ranges into northern Sierra Leone and Liberia. It is also widespread in Togo, where it occurs as far north as Aledjo but may extend to the Sudanese savannah of the country's far north (Segniagbeto et al. 2011). It occurs from sea level to 2,400 m asl in Ethiopia (Largen and Rasmussen 1993), although in East Africa it appears to be absent above 2,200 m asl (Spawls et al. 2002). The paucity of records from northern Kenya, western Tanzania and much of Ethiopia is probably an artefact of under-recording of this cryptic snake (Largen and Rasmussen 1993, Spawls et al. 2002). A number of records exist for South Sudan (Loveridge 1955).

It is unlikely that any specific conservation measures are required for this species. The Boomslang occurs in Yankari National Park in Nigeria and Mole National Park in Ghana; it is certain that this very wide-ranging snake occurs within more protected areas than is currently known. Taxonomic research is underway into the systematics of this likely species complex.