Crested partridges feed and nest on the ground, but roost in the trees at night (2) (5). These colourful birds can usually be seen in parties of five to fifteen individuals, foraging for food in the leaf-litter of the forest floor (4). There are reports of associations with wild pigs, with these birds feeding on discarded fragments of fruit that they would be unable to tackle whole. In addition to fruits, their diet includes seeds, large beetles, wood ants and small snails (2).
The breeding season for this forest-dwelling bird varies throughout its range, and in some countries, breeding can continue for most of the year (2) (5). The nest may simply be a depression in dry leaves (5) or a large domed structure constructed of leaves and twigs by either the male or female (7). The female lays a clutch of five to six eggs, which she incubates alone for 18 to 19 days (in captivity), although both parents subsequently care for the hatchlings (2) (7).