Brazil (southern Mato Grosso do Sul east to Minas Gerais, locally to southern Bahia, and south to Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul), eastern Paraguay, north-eastern Argentina and northern Uruguay. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Highland Elaenia (Elaenia obscura).
Small-headed Elaenia (Elaenia sordida) [XC351024]
by Odirlei Vieira da Fonseca from Itatiaia National Park. Agulhas Negras road, Brazil (call, st2 call)
Small-headed Elaenia (Elaenia sordida) [XC332374]
by Douglas Meyer from Casca d'Anta, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra, Minas Gerais, Brazil (call, st2 call)
Subspecies
Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Highland Elaenia (Elaenia obscura).