The species inhabits interior forest, with dense understorey. It is a specialist frugivore (possibly territorial so that it can exploit fruits as they become available), foraging solitarily or in pairs (Brooke and Jones 1995). Research in 1991/1992 recorded 19 different plants in its diet, with Procris pedunculata constituting the major food. A preference for fruit with a high water content suggests that the species may rely on its food for obtaining water, especially during dry spells (as there is no permanent water on Henderson) (Brooke and Jones 1995). From two nests, each with a single egg recorded in March, the breeding season would appear to be at the beginning of the calendar year and clutch-size is probably one (Brooke and Jones 1995).

Ptilinopus insularis is confined to Henderson in the Pitcairn Islands (to UK), a small uninhabited, raised-reef island in the south-central Pacific Ocean.

Conservation Actions Underway
In 1988, Henderson was designated a World Heritage Site. Following a feasibility study (Brooke and Towns 2008) a rat eradication operation was attempted on Henderson Island in August 2011, but this failed and rat density returned to pre-eradication levels by 2013 (Churchyard et al. 2013, Bond et al. 2019b).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Periodically resurvey to monitor numbers and trends. Ensure that further alien species are not accidentally introduced to Henderson. Re-attempt the eradication of rats from Henderson.