This barbet inhabits forests in western and central Africa. The skin on its face and crown is bare, and groups use trees bearing fruit.
The crown and face are unfeathered and blackish to blue-grey. Dull brown to buff bristles occur on the chin and beside the lower bill; the dark brown upperparts have fine pale streaks.
It inhabits primary forest and adjacent secondary forest, and also visits plantations, farms, and villages with fruiting trees. Groups forage through foliage for fruit and insects.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.