Highly sociable. Always seen in family groups of 5-20 birds. Usually one breeding pair in a group. Young take 4 years to reach breeding maturity. Young birds help with incubation, preening, feeding and rearing younger birds, as well as helping with nest building and defending the nest against intruders. Group behaves in noisy unison. Mostly ground foragers, scratching, probing, flicking leaf litter for insects, snails, seeds. Mournful, piping descending whistles. Screeching alarm call.

Found in forests, woodlands, mallee near water, outer urban areas, parks and gardens.