It is an insectivore (Barquez et al. 1993). It occurs in dense forests, in coastal plains, deciduous forests and chacos, but has been found in human-disturbed areas and in a savanna (Best et al. 2002). On the Yucatan Peninsula, Shaw’s Mastiff Bat has been observed at dusk over a highway (Ingles 1959, Jones et al. 1973). In Panama, individuals tended not to hang head down but instead tended to crawl into cracks and small recesses. When disturbed, they almost never flew but tried to escape by running on all fours (Bloedel 1955). In Trinidad, E. auripendulus was encountered at the same site as M. ater and M. molossus (Genoways et al. 1973). In Mexico it has been found in tropical moist forests under 1,000 m asl (Arita 2005).

This species is found from Oaxaca and Yucatán (Mexico) to Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, the Guianas, Trinidad and Jamaica (Simmons 2005). There are no valid records for Belize (Miller pers. comm.).

It is found in protected areas.