In order to reduce the difficulty of adjusting parameters for the codebook model and the computational complexity of probability distribution for the Gaussian mixture model in intelligent visual surveillance, a moving objects detection algorithm based on three-dimensional Gaussian mixture codebook model using XYZ color model is proposed. In this algorithm, a codebook model based on XYZ color model is built, and then the Gaussian model based on X, Y and Z components in codewords is established respectively. In this way, the characteristic of the three-dimensional Gaussian mixture model for the codebook model is obtained. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can attain higher real-time capability and its average frame rate is about 16.7 frames per second, while it is about 8.3 frames per second for the iGMM (improved Gaussian mixture model) algorithm, about 6.1 frames per second for the BM (Bayes model) algorithm, about 12.5 frames per second for the GCBM (Gaussian-based codebook model) algorithm, and about 8.5 frames per second for the CBM (codebook model) algorithm in the comparative experiments. Furthermore the proposed algorithm can obtain better detection quantity.