 Males and females are similar in colouring and bond as lifelong pairs that occupy a territory centred on their roosting and brooding nest site.The species occupy a similar ecological niche to the beautiful firetail "Stagonopleura bella" found in the east of Australia, although unlike other species of the genus they only occasionally group together and are almost never seen in large flocks.The red-eared firetail is rare in captivity, being neither recommended nor generally permitted, as they require expertise and a large specialised environment to maintain their secretive habits; however, the observations in avicultural literature have supported and contributed to knowledge of its behaviour.