Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania [United Republic of], Zambia.
Kenya (east of Rift Valley), north, eastern and southern Tanzania (west to Rungwe in south), extreme north-eastern Zambia (Mafinga Mts), Malawi and north-western Mozambique.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2011).
Placid Greenbul (Phyllastrephus placidus) [XC753194]
by Brendan Sloan from Mount Kenya Forest (near Kimunye), Mount Kenya Forest, Kirinyaga County, Kenya (call)
Placid Greenbul (Phyllastrephus placidus) [XC842259]
by Valentijn Hermans from Kiega Hill, Kenya (call, duet, song)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Cabanis's Greenbul (Phyllastrephus cabanisi) and Placid Greenbul (Phyllastrephus placidus) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) have been lumped into Phyllastrephus cabanisi following Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993).
Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Cabanis's Greenbul (Phyllastrephus cabanisi).