It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Its presence can often be detected by its calls, which consist of brief whistles and grating tearing sounds which have been rendered as "U-tzeu-U-tzee".

The diet consists mainly of insects such as beetles, flies and ants, but also includes snails, fruit and seeds when available.

[2] The papyrus gonolek has specialist habitat requirements, being restricted to swampy areas in river systems and around lake shores.

It is vulnerable to such threats as drainage of wetlands, burning and pollution caused by run-off from agricultural land.