It inhabits primary and tall secondary monsoon-forest, often where this habitat is drier or more open, and also vine thickets, thickly vegetated gullies and eucalyptus woodland with dense understorey, from sea-level to 1,300 m (Mauro 2003, C. Trainor in litt. 2005, Trainor et al. 2008). As it has been found in "more or less open areas near villages", it probably has a degree of tolerance to habitat degradation, and in Timor-Leste appears to be more common in patchy landscapes: forest edge, secondary forest, woodland with scattered figs, Eucalyptus savanna or non-Eucalyptus woodlands with tropical forest trees in gullies or on scattered rock outcrops (C. Trainor in litt. 2005). Singles or pairs forage in the lower-middle storey, with groups congregating at fruiting trees (C. Trainor in litt. 2005), and it probably moves seasonally in response to fruiting patterns.

Turacoena modesta is restricted to Timor-Leste, West Timor and Wetar and Rote, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

Conservation Actions Underway
Several protected areas have been proposed in West Timor, and one on Wetar. The most important for the species are likely to be Gunung Mutis/Timau, Bipolo and Camplong, on West Timor, and Gunung Arnau on Wetar.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct surveys to clarify its current distribution, status, ecological requirements and threats. Propose key sites for establishment as strict protected areas. Support initiatives to establish a protected area encompassing Gunung Mutis and Gunung Timau, West Timor. Initiate conservation awareness programmes to reduce forest loss and hunting.