Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay (B).
Breeds from north-central and eastern Brazil (lower Amazon region and Maranhío east to Rio Grande do Norte, southern locally to Mato Grosso do Sul and western Sío Paulo) south to eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina (south to La Rioja, Santa Fe and Buenos Aires) and western Uruguay; also occurs in western Amazonian Brazil, south-eastern Peru and northern Bolivia in non-breeding season.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Black-backed Water Tyrant (Fluvicola albiventer) [XC687761]
by Glauco Alves Pereira from Santiago del Estero: 2.8 km SE Destacamento El Guayac\u00e1n, PN Copo, Argentina (call)
Black-backed Water Tyrant (Fluvicola albiventer) [XC471102]
by id from Parque Estadual da Lagoa do A\u00e7u, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (call)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
May form a superspecies with Pied Water-Tyrant (Fluvicola pica) and often considered conspecific, but differs in plumage and vocalizations and no intergradation between the two.