Distribution

Endemic to peninsular India. The core of this barbet's range is in the Western Ghats of western and southwestern India and associated hill ranges, including the Nilgiris and Palnis, from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, north through Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra up to the Narmada valley in southern Gujarat (Surat Dangs). Occurs eastward to the Shevaroy and Chitteri hills in Tamil Nadu, including the vicinity of Bengaluru, where it is the most common barbet (1 Ali, S., and S. D. Ripley (1983) Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Volume 4. Second edition. Oxford University Press, Delhi. Close ). Recently recorded in Toranmal Reserve Forest in the Satpura region, Maharashtra (9 Jathar, G. and Bhagwat, V. (2016). The occurrence of the White-cheeked Barbet Psilopogon viridis in Toranmal Reserve Forest, Satpura Mountains, Maharashtra. Indian Birds. 11(4): 104–105. Close ), necessitating further review of its distribution in central India.

No specific information, but has likely expanded in urban areas (e.g., Bengaluru) owing to human planting of fruit trees (2 Short, L. L., and J. F. M. Horne (2001) Toucans, barbets and honeyguides. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom. Close ).