Its range extends across the Himalayan forests in northern India to northeast Indian states, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and in the east to Indochina including Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

[2] Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

The whiskered yuhina is sometimes found in mixed hunting parties with other yuhina and fulvetta species,[3] but it has also been reported to not associate with mixed hunting parties in some areas.

[4] It is described as one of the commonest yuhinas in the Himalayas, although it is relatively uncommon to rare at low elevations.

[5] It is one among several other birds hunted by livestock herders in Northeast India.