They frequent humid forest from 500–1,000 m (1,600–3,300 ft) (occasionally down to sea level), and are mostly found in small flocks of 3–20 birds.

Food items are poorly studied but include large leguminous seeds, fruit of Rapanea acuminata, Clusia sp.

[5] Observed feeding on Clusia criuva where presumed adults pluck the fruit from the tree snipping the stalk with their bills and carry the fruit to a more secure location on a firmer branch where they open the fruitwith their bill wedging it against the branch prising the seeds out with their tongue; they do not use their feet at any time in the feeding process as some other psittacids do.

[6] Well grown young birds were observed being fed by adults in Ubatuba, São Paulo state, January 2010.

Young birds can be differentiated by their paler orbital ring and their cere being flesh coloured as opposed to dark grey in adults.