The saiga is found mainly on grassy plains, often in arid areas. It avoids broken country and dense vegetation but may enter the forest steppe zone in the summer. The saiga is active throughout the day for most of the year. During the summer it grazes in the early morning and evening and rests at midday. It usually has no fixed home range and commonly wanders several dozen kilometers per day.
Some populations undertake extensive seasonal migrations.
The animals on the west side of the Caspian Sea concentrate to the south in the winter, move northward in April and May, and return to the south in the fall. They may cover 80-120 km per day during such movements. The diet consists mainly of grass and also includes various herbs and shrubs. During the summer, under favorable conditions, the saiga visits water holes twice daily. On the wintering grounds to the west of the Caspian Sea, both sexes winter together.