Black-headed Uakaris are found in a variety of habitat types, including terra firme, chavascal, flooded forests (igapós), campinarana or “Rio Negro caatinga” (white sand forests), and montane forest. They are seasonal vagrants and move to different areas of the forest tracking the seasonal variation in availability of preferred fruits. They forage at different levels from the ground to the understory to the canopy. All uakaris are specialised seed predators and the majority of their diet is made up of immature seeds. The diet can be supplemented by fruit pulp, leaves and arthropods. Group sizes range from 35 to more than 100 individuals; fission-fusion has been documented in this species.

South Venezuela (West of the Casiquiare), South East Colombia (from the Serranía de La Macarena in the West, East to the Guayabero-Guaviare interfluvium and the lower Río Apaporis, and S to the Río Caquetá), and North West Brazil (South  of the Rio Negro, E to the confluence with the Rio Solimões, and South to the Rio Japurá) (Boubli et al. 2008).

The species inhabits regions of northern Brazilian Amazonia (Roraima) and southern Venezuelan Amazonia (Amazonas) that have not experienced significant forest loss in the past 20 years and are not expected to do so in the foreseeable future.

It is listed on CITES Appendix I. In Colombia, it occurs in Nukak and Puinawai natural national reserves. In Brazil, they are protected in Jaú National Park and Amanã State Sustainable Development Reserve (Mittermeier et al. 2013).