Eastern and central Brazil (from northern Ceará and Maranhío, also recently Pernambuco, southern in interior to Mato Grosso, northern Sío Paulo and southern Minas Gerais), eastern Bolivia (north-eastern Beni and eastern Santa Cruz) and north-eastern Paraguay.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Black-throated Saltator (Saltatricula atricollis) [XC427919]
by Caio Brito from Morro do Cristo, Palmas-TO, Tocantins, Brazil (canto)
Black-throated Saltator (Saltatricula atricollis) [XC863822]
by Rosendo Fraga from Fazenda S\u00e3o Miguel, Itaj\u00e1, Goi\u00e1s, Brazil (song)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Affiliations of genus uncertain. Recent molecular-genetic analyses indicate that it does not belong with present family, and may be better placed with tanagers (Thraupidae). Thought to be not closely related to other members of genus, but closer to monotypic emberizid genus Saltatricula. However, recent molecular-genetic studies indicate that it does belong in present genus, and that Saltatricula perhaps better moved to present family.