Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania [United Republic of], Zimbabwe.
Coastal Kenya, eastern and south-eastern Tanzania (including Zanzibar I and Mafia I), Mozambique (south to south of R Save), south-eastern Malawi, and seaward-facing slopes of mountains in eastern Zimbabwe.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Pale Batis (Batis soror) [XC633736]
by Louis A. Hansen from Massingini NaturalForestReserve_Magharibi, Mjini Magharibi Region_Zanzibar, Tanzania (song)
Pale Batis (Batis soror) [XC755798]
by David C. Moyer from Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya (duet, song)
Subspecies
Part of a superspecies that probably includes also Senegal Batis (Batis senegalensis), Grey-headed Batis (Batis orientalis), Chinspot Batis (Batis molitor) and Pririt Batis (Batis pririt). Was formerly regarded as a subspecies of Chinspot Batis (Batis molitor), which it replaces geographically in eastern African lowlands (although apparently some range overlap in south-eastern Tanzania).
Proposed subspecies littoralis, from Zanzibar I, and pallidigula, from Mozambique, considered untenable.