It was formerly classified in the family Eurylaimidae, a group of closely related birds that share the name "broadbill".

[3] The green broadbill is distributed in broadleaved evergreen forests of Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula where it frequents lowland and lower montane rainforest.

It is often overlooked, as it sits motionless inside the canopy or just below, quickly flying to a new location if disturbed.

The broadbill's feeding habits helps to distribute the seeds of the fig around the forest floor.

The female usually lays between two and three whitish eggs, and the young fledge after twenty-two to twenty-three days.