[4] The upper mantle is blackish grading to olive green on the back, blue-green on rump and with a blue tail.

[4] The upperwing is dull green-blue with dark olive-black flight feathers.

The yellow-billed kingfisher is widespread throughout lowland New Guinea and the adjacent islands, extending to northern Cape York Peninsula in Australia.

The yellow-billed kingfisher is known to prey on large insects, earthworms, and small snakes and lizards.

With a large range and no evidence of significant decline, the conservation status of this species is assessed as being of Least Concern.