Like all paradise kingfishers, this bird has colourful plumage with a red bill, buff breast and distinctive long tail streamers.

[14] Like all paradise kingfishers, the buff-breasted is brightly coloured with a large red bill, rich rufous-buff underparts, blue or purple cap, crown and outer tail feathers, black eye stripes running down to the nape of its neck, red feet, white lower back and rump and long white or blue-and-white tail-feathers which varies geographically.

Each call is usually accompanied by continuous flicking of the tail,[20][21] often pointing their heads skyward, pulling their wings downwards and fluffing up their white feathers.

Individual sightings have been recorded at Eurimbula National Park, south of Gladstone, and on islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

[22][16][23][24] The buff-breasted paradise kingfisher inhabits lowland monsoon rainforest, and isolated patches of hill forest in areas where active termite mounds suitable for nesting are located.

The buff-breasted paradise kingfisher is believed to migrate in flocks at night as large numbers of birds suddenly appear in Queensland rainforests at the start of the breeding season early in the morning.

The birds have been recorded flying close to the water and drowning in sea spray,[13] colliding with the Booby Island Lighthouse,[26] and arriving at their destination in a state of severe exhaustion.

[27] The species shows signs of territorial behaviour in non-breeding grounds in New Guinea where single birds defend their resources.

[24] After the young have left the nest, a large amount of rubbish remains, including pinfeather covers, faeces, maggots and food scraps such as beetle legs.

The chicks fledge after approximately 25 days and birds have been observed leaving the nest and flying directly to a branch.

[25] The buff-breasted paradise kingfisher hunts on the ground and from the foliage in the middle to lower levels of the forest canopy.

[25] Natural predators of nest eggs include snakes and goannas, whilst a butcherbird has also been observed preying on young.

[25] Land clearing and habitat loss in New Guinea have the potential to impact on the breeding populations in Australia.

[20][34] Although the population trend is declining, the buff-breasted paradise kingfisher is assessed as "least concern" on the IUCN Red List.