It lives in hollow trees and caves. It is a piscivore and can eat aquatic insects. It has been observed in groups larger than 30 individuals in Brazil (Barquez 1999). It roosts near streams, coastal marine habitats, major river basins or other moist places. Bachelor males roost apart from females. Males residing with female groups stay for two or more reproductive seasons (Mulheisen and Berry 2000). Females bear a single young each pregnancy. This species tends to have pregnancies occurring from September until January, and lactation is first seen in November and continues until April. This is a general pattern, however, and it can vary with geographical location. Reproduction corresponds to seasons of greatest food availability (Mulheisen and Berry 2000).

It occurs from Sinaloa (Mexico) to the Guianas, Suriname, Brazil, northern Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, in Trinidad, the Greater and Lesser Antilles and the south Bahamas (Simmons 2005).

It is found in protected areas.