Behaviouraly and physiologically adapted to the climatic conditions of arid central Australia, Spinifex pigeons are still reliant on reliable sources of surface water. The adaptions include feeding in the shade and hiding in rock crevices, a 32 percent lower basal metabolic rate for a bird of similar size and a tolerance of temperatures to 50 degrees celsius.

The Triodia habitat forms some of the birds range however they usually are more in need of surface standing water over a particular food source.