It inhabits undisturbed dry and flooded forest, often alluvial, in the lowlands to 800 m (Coates 1985, Beehler and Pratt 2016). It has strong preferences for alluvial forest, and is notably less common in foothill and logged forest (I. Woxvold pers. comm. 2016). It feeds on the ground in small flocks of 2-10 birds (historically up to 30 birds [Ramsay 1879]) and roosts in trees. Captive birds start breeding from 15 months old, lay a single egg, and tend to the fledgling for some months after hatching (King and Nijboer 1994).

G. scheepmakeri is thought to occur throughout much of the southern lowlands of Papua New Guinea east of the Purari River, to Orangerie Bay (Beehler and Pratt 2016). Its western boundary is poorly-known, somewhere between the Fly and Purari Rivers (Pratt and Beehler 2015). It appears to have been extirpated from much of the east of its range in the more developed and narrower coastal plain of Central Province (del Hoyo et al. 1997, Gibbs et al. 2001).

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II.  Part of the European Endangered [Species] Programme of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. It is protected by law in Papua New Guinea.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Carry out surveys at sites across its range to gain a better estimate of the population size. Survey western extreme of range to determine range boundary. Assess hunting levels and population trends through discussion with local hunters. Ascertain tolerance of logged forest. Monitor numbers traded. Monitor population in study areas.

Establish more community-based conservation areas in lowlands. Enforce protection in uninhabited reserve areas. Launch public awareness programmes to reduce hunting. Utilise as a flagship species in ecotourism ventures.