The purplish-mantled tanager prefers to inhabit subtropical moist montane forests as well as heavily degraded former forested areas.

This bird jumps and pecks in dense foliage to find and eat berries and insects, but does not congregate on fruit trees with other frugivores.

Not much is known about what happens during the breeding season of this species, however young have been recorded between May and June in the Central and Western mountain ranges. Also, juveniles have been seen in the month of July in the town of Monchique.

This species is considered a Near Threatened species on the IUCN list. The loss and degradation of its habitat are the main causes of the reduction of its population as well as the result of agricultural, livestock, and mining activities.