It is found throughout mainland Australia and possibly on the islands to the north, including New Guinea and eastern Indonesia.

White-winged trillers are fairly common in woodland, and open scrub through most of their range, and close to riverbeds in the central arid zone.

In the non-breeding season, male birds appear similar to the female, retaining blackish feathers only on the wings and tail.

Typically 16 to 18 cm long, white-winged trillers eat a variety of insects, which are taken on the ground, from foliage, or in the air.

Some authorities regard them as two races of a single species, in which case the white-winged triller becomes Lalage sueurii tricolor.