Nyctimene aello has been recorded from primary and secondary rainforest, swamp forest, and rural gardens. Animals roost in foliage, either singly or in small groups. It is a frugivorous species, likely to be a fig specialist. Pregnant females have been recorded in January and February (Flannery 1995, Bonaccorso 1998).

It occurs over most of the island of New Guinea, except for the highland areas of the central cordillera, the Finisterre Range on the Huon Peninsula, and the Arfak Mountains of the Vogelkop Peninsula. It does appear to be distributed in the North Coastal Range. It has been recorded from sea level up to 1,000 m asl. Records also occur on the islands of Misool and Salawati in Indonesia, and Kairiru Island in East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.

Identifying this species is more straightforward than some of the smaller species of Nyctimene because of its larger size and the relative broadness of the dark stripe that extends down the fur on the back. Thus, its distribution is probably better understood than the smaller species that are easier to misidentify.

It is presumed to be present in most protected areas within its distribution. Broadscale protection of forests will help maintain population size in this species. Additional research into the species ecology, threats, population status and trends will help inform its conservation.