Andes of south-western Peru (Arequipa south to Tacna and southern Puno), northern Chile (Tarapacá) and western Bolivia (south-western La Paz, north-western Oruro).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2012).
Dark-winged Canastero (Asthenes arequipae) [XC74835]
by Andrew Spencer from Quebrada Toro Muerto, Nazca-Cuzco Highway, 74.5km east of Nazca, Nazca, Peru (song)
Dark-winged Canastero (Asthenes arequipae) [XC74672]
by Andrew Spencer from Nazca-Cuzco Highway, 17km east of Puquio, Ayacucho, Peru (call, song)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
In Collar et al. (1992, 1994), Asthenes dorbignyi (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) was split into Creamy-breasted Canastero (Asthenes dorbignyi), Huancavelica Canastero (Asthenes huancavelicae) (including Asthenes usheri, a form previously considered specifically distinct in Collar and Andrew 1988) and Dark-winged Canastero (Asthenes arequipae) following Fjeldså and Schulenberg (unpublished manuscript). However, evidence for the separate status of Huancavelica Canastero (Asthenes huancavelicae) and Dark-winged Canastero (Asthenes arequipae) was considered insufficient for them to be recognised by Remsen (2003) and Remsen et al. (2005), and thus dorbignyi, huancavelicae and arequipae have subsequently been lumped back into Creamy-breasted Canastero (Asthenes dorbignyi) following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).