It is found in central and southern China, and the northern extremes of Myanmar and Vietnam.

[2] It occurs in the countries of Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam[1] and also may occur in northeastern and southeastern Bangladesh.

[3] The aberrant bush warbler was formally described in 1845 by the English zoologist Edward Blyth based on a specimen collected in Nepal.

[4][5] The specific epithet flavolivaceus combines the Latin flavus meaning "yellow" with the Modern Latin olivaceus meaning "olive-green".

[6] The aberrant bush warbler is now placed in the genus Horornis that was introduced in 1845 by Brian Hodgson.