The north-eastern taxon fringillarius is primarily found in Caatinga and Cerrado.
Most species inhabit dense tropical, subtropical and temperate (Chile) forests, but some occur in open vegetation as the Pampas, the Cerrado, and the Caatinga.
This species presence in riparian areas of the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil is a crucial resource for Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii), which is presently extinct in the wild with fewer than 100 birds remaining in captivity.
The Urucé left a few ancient rock paintings often representing a stylized symbol of water springs, as the surrounding caatinga is a very dry biotop, as a way to help their members to localize sources of water.