This barbet gathers in small groups around dead trees in rainforest, secondary growth, and plantations. Its buff forehead tuft helps distinguish it from similar barbets.
It is dark and chunky, with a conspicuous buff tuft of feathers on the forehead. It resembles Naked-faced and Gray-throated Barbets, but the forehead tuft is a useful distinction.
Small groups use dead trees in and around rainforest, secondary growth, and plantations. Calls include nasal squeaks, a dry rattle, and repeated hollow hoots.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.