This species prefers dry acacia and other scrub habitat, particularly wooded savanna, but also occurs in plantations, urban areas, gardens, shelter belts and around farmland, given that sufficient bushy cover is provided (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011, S. Alam in litt. 2019). It generally avoids open desert and rocky areas, forests and urban areas (Jennings 2010). It forages in groups mainly on the ground, searching under stones or scratching and digging with the bill, but also gleans bushes and trees (Jennings 2010). Its diet consists of ground-dwelling invertebrates and vegetable matter or dates (Jennings 2010). The species is group-living. The breeding season typically lasts from March to July, but may be advanced when food availability is high (Jennings 2010). Nests are bulky cups made of grass and twigs, lined with hair, grass and rootlets, and placed in acacia or other trees and bushes. Clutch size is unknown for the UAE, but elsewhere in Arabia they consist of one to six eggs (Jennings 2010).