It inhabits humid subtropical and temperate forests dominated by oak and laurel. It is only known to occur at 1,750-2,050 m, but may have an elevational range of 1,500-2,500 m. Although probably dependent on primary forest for at least part of its life-cycle, it has been recorded in degraded habitats and secondary forest. It forages for fruit, seeds and arthropods. The breeding season appears to coincide with peaks in annual rainfall between March and May, and between September and November.

Odontophorus strophium occurs on the west slope of the east Andes of Colombia. There are historic (pre-1954) records from Cundinamarca (Wege and Long 1995), where it was known from a few sites to the west of and around Bogotá. It has since been recorded in Santander on the Cuchilla del Ramo in 1970, in Guanentá-Alto Río Fonce Flora and Fauna Sanctuary from 1979 onwards, in Cachalu Biological Reserve from 1999, and in the Serranía de los Yariguíes in 2003 (P. Salaman in litt. 2004, Donegan et al. 2005). In 2004, it was found in the oak forests of Charalá, at Vereda Virolín; Onzaga, at Vereda Chaguata; Mogotes, at Vereda San Jose, Vereda Vega Grande and Vereda Cabecera, and Coromoro, at Vereda Laguna and Vereda Mina (Velásquez-Tibatá et al. 2005). Overall, it appears to be restricted to the larger oak forest remnants in the eastern Cordillera, including the Serrania de Yariguies and Norandino Oak Forest Corridor. Both remnants have decreased considerably in size in recent decades (J. Velasquez and N. Silva in litt. 2004). There have recently been reports in Cundinamarca (Cortes and Chaves 2000, eBird 2018). The total population is thought to be small and is presumably declining. Its stronghold is in the Yariguíes National Park and adjacent ProAves Reinta Cerulea Reserve, which probably support a few thousand individuals (Donegan et al. 2005, Turner 2006).

Conservation Actions Underway
The Guanentá-Alto Río Fonce Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, protecting 100 km² of forest extending from 1,950-2,200 to 3,000-3,900 m, was gazetted in November 1993 (Andrade and Repizzo 1994, Wege and Long 1995). The species is also protected by the adjacent Cachalu Biological Reserve, with frequent sightings there since 1999 (J. Velásquez-Tibatá and N. Silva in litt. 2004). The declaration of the Yariguíes National Park (which comprises a substantial 200,000 ha primary forest fragment, almost all of which is at suitable elevations for this species) and ProAves reserves were a major step forwards for the conservation of this species (T. Donegan in litt. 2012).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Monitor the population size and trend. Ensure effective protection for the Serrania de los Yariguíes National Park. Identify and survey remnant forests elsewhere in Santander, outside Cachalú and Yariguíes (T. Donegan in litt. 2012). Develop initiatives to protect any additional sites discovered, including targeted land acquisition where appropriate.