This barbet ranges from West to East Africa. Two prominent tooth-like projections mark the upper bill. It eats flying termites as well as fruit and nuts.
The upper bill has two prominent saw-like projections. The bill is pale gray, with yellow irises and yellow skin around the eyes. The head, back, wings, and tail are black; the area from below the eyes through the throat, chest, and belly is bright red, with a small white patch on the flanks.
It occurs in cultivated open land, forest edges, and parks, often in the shade of trees and shrubs. It eats flying termites and also figs, other fruit, and nuts.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.