It is very similar to the more widespread brown-headed barbet (or large green barbet, Psilopogon zeylanicus), but this species has a distinctive supercilium and a broad white cheek stripe below the eye and is found in the forest areas of the Western Ghats, parts of the Eastern Ghats and adjoining hills.

The brown-headed barbet has an orange eye-ring but the calls are very similar and the two species occur together in some of the drier forests to the east of the Western Ghats.

Like all other Asian barbets, they are mainly frugivorous (although they may sometimes eat insects), and use their bills to excavate nest cavities in trees.

Bucco viridis was the scientific name proposed by Pieter Boddaert in 1783 for a green barbet that had been described by Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in 1780 based on a specimen collected in India.

During the breeding season which begins at the start of summer their calls become loud and constant especially in the mornings.

The call, a monotonous Kot-roo...Kotroo... starting with an explosive trrr is not easily differentiated from that of the brown-headed barbet.

During hot afternoons, they may also utter a single note wut not unlike the call of collared scops owl or coppersmith barbet.

[25] In Periyar Tiger Reserve, white-cheeked barbets begin breeding in December and continue to nest until May.

They are believed to form a pair bond that lasts for longer than a single breeding season.

[25] These birds are primary cavity nesters, chiseling out the trunk or a vertical branch of tree with a round entry hole.

[9] Favoured nest trees in urban areas include gulmohur (Delonix regia) and African tulip (Spathodea campanulata).