An endemic and fairly rare bird found locally in the dense, tall forests of the wet zone, ranging from the lowlands to the mid-hills. It is very rare in the dry lowland forests and the higher hills. Red-faced Malkoha is usually seen alone, in pairs, or in small parties. A shy bird by nature, it inhabits mainly the canopy of tall, dense forests. Red-faced Malkoha feeds primarily on the berries of forest trees. Its breeding season occurs during the first half of the year, with a possible second breeding period from August to September. The nest is a shallow saucer made of grass, roots, and twigs, placed in high bushes within thick forest undergrowth, where it lays two or three eggs.
