Although capuchins don't have an opposable thumb, they have very dextrous hands and can manipulate small objects and dismantle them quickly. They will also eat any bird eggs that they come across. Occasionally they may hunt smaller weaker animals such as nestling birds, squirrels, lizards, bats, and mammals up to nearly 1kg, like smaller monkeys. They are also adept at catching tree frogs that live in bamboo stems. This is a prized item, rarely shared with others in the group.
Capuchins drink every day, usually from water collecting in tree hollows or bromeliads.
Capuchins forage actively in the early morning and late afternoon, taking a nap at midday. When a group forages for food in a patch of forest, they really do a thorough job. Spreading out throughout the canopy, from the low understorey to the tops of the tallest trees, to systematically search for anything edible. At night, they sleep together in small clusters in tall trees. This dark cap of hair and distinctive black sideburns extending to the chin looks like the cowls or capuche worn by the Franciscan monks.