The rose-bellied bunting prefers to inhabit semideciduous forests and thorn scrub.

The rose-bellied bunting forages alone or in pairs in the lower to mid-level of its habitat. Its diet consists of seeding grasses and fruit from trees and bushes.

These birds are usually seen singly or in pairs none more so than at breeding time. Though little is known about breeding or nesting behavior two nests were described in June and July of last year. The nests were built of an open cup made from dead leaves, shredded bark, and fine weed stems. Both were built in a sampling, one 1.5m, the other 4m above ground level. 3 to 4 eggs were laid within.

The IUCN has assessed the rose-bellied bunting as Near Threatened “because it has a small range, which may be in decline owing to habitat degradation and infrastructure development.”
