Habitat
Subtropical and tropical lowland moist forest. Also, subtropical and tropical montane moist forest, heavily degraded former forest. From sea-level - 1,500 m.
Rufous-sided Broadbill (Smithornis rufolateralis) [XC352233]
by Hans Matheve from Kakum NP (walkway), Ghana (display flight)
Rufous-sided Broadbill (Smithornis rufolateralis) [XC614825]
by Rod Cassidy from Djomo, Bayanga, Sangha-Mbare, Central African Republic (call, flight call)
Subspecies
Sometimes considered to form a superspecies with African Broadbill (Smithornis capensis), but latter probably more closely related to Grey-headed Broadbill (Smithornis sharpei). Subspecies very similar, budongoensis possibly not tenable.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
rufolateralis Gray, 1864 - Eastern Sierra Leone east to western Zaire, south to south-western Congo and northern Angola (Cabinda).
budongoensis van Someren, 1921 - East-central and north-eastern Zaire and western Uganda.