Rufous-throated Honeyeaters are broadly distributed across northern Australia from the Kimberleys in the west across to Queensland where they range normally south to near Mackay but occasional vagrants occur as far south as the Sunshine Coast.

The status of Rufous-throated Honeyeaters varies a lot , small numbers resident in some areas and migratory (or nomadic) in others but when large numbers suddenly appear it is always in response to seasonal flowering of trees and shrubs.

Young Rufous-throated Honeaters lack the rufous throat and in females the rufous is duller than in males.