The breeding season for the species lasts from September to at least February, during which time specimens commonly fly and vocalise for display.

It lives in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and East Timor, in forests, savannas, and freshwater bodies.

[5] Frédéric de Lafresnaye would later—in 1846—combine the Asian Lepidogenys and African Aviceda into a single genus.

[6][7] Johann Jakob Kaup had in the meantime placed the species in Pernis, a placement not followed by any other authors.

[11] Its wings are broad, rounded, and paddle-shaped with distinct bands; they are very large in comparison to its body.

[13][14] Females can be distinguished from males by having a slightly browner upperside and sometimes more barring on their secondary flight feathers.

[12] The Pacific baza can be distinguished from the long-tailed honey buzzard (Henicopernis longicauda), which is similar in appearance to this species, by having less-rounded wings and a breast that is barred rather than streaked.

[14] The omnivorous diet of the Pacific baza consists of fruits, insects, tree-frogs, lizards, snakes, and birds.

[15] In fact, in 1981, several captive specimens of the Pacific baza would not breed without having lettuce as a part of their diet.

[11][12] The breeding season usually starts in September; in Australia it lasts until February but it can be longer in other countries.

[1] The Pacific baza ranges across warmer and more humid parts of the Australasian realm, breeding in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands and South Africa and resident in East Timor.

[1] In Australia, it is only found in areas where the coast is no further than 400 kilometres (250 mi) away,[11] primarily in northern and eastern parts of the country.