The Buff-banded Rail is also known as the Banded Rail, Painted Rail, Land Rail or Pectoral Rail. The number of subspecies seems to vary by reference source, either several to twenty-six. They are found throughout much of Australasia and the south-west Pacific region, including the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and other smaller islands.

Diet includes a variety of terrestrial invertebrates and small vertebrates, seeds, fallen fruit and other vegetable matter. They will also eat carrion and refuse.