South-western Ecuador (Manabí south to Loja), northern and western Peru (Amazonas, and down coast to Tacna) and northern Chile (Arica); one specimen from south-western Colombia (Gorgona I).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Short-tailed Field Tyrant (Muscigralla brevicauda) [XC258921]
by Robert S. Ridgely from Loja: SW of Zapotillo, Ecuador (call, calls)
Short-tailed Field Tyrant (Muscigralla brevicauda) [XC258918]
by John V. Moore from Guayas: \, Ecuador (flight song, display flight song)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Placed by early authors in Cotingidae or Formicariidae, on basis of tarsal scutes. Affinities within present family unclear. Placed in or near Muscisaxicola by some, but coronal patch, long legs with aberrant scutellation, bare tibia, wing and tail shapes support current monotypic genus.