The generic name is derived from the genus Todus (Brisson, 1760), 'tody' (a West Indian insectivorous bird) and Ancient Greek rhamphos, 'bill'.

[3] The specific epithet honours the Scottish entomologist and Colonial Secretary to New South Wales Alexander Macleay (1767–1848).

[7] The forest kingfisher is native to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Australia, where it is found on or near the Australian coastline from Port Stephens in New South Wales northwards to Cape York and westwards across the Top End.

[7] The forest kingfisher hunts invertebrates, such as bugs, beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, dragonflies, cicadas, ants, adult and larval butterflies, and worms, as well as small fish, frogs and tadpoles, lizards, and snakes.

[5] Although the population trend of the forest kingfisher is decreasing, it is classed as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List.