Andes in western Venezuela (southern Táchira), Colombia (western range in Antioquia, central range south to Nariño, and eastern range in Cundinamarca), Ecuador (eastern slope in Carchi, Napo and Zamora-Chinchipe) and northern Peru (Piura, near Piuraâ€"Cajamarca border).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Black-headed Hemispingus (Pseudospingus verticalis) [XC98774]
by Leonardo Ord\u00f3\u00f1ez-Delgado from San Andres-Jimbura road, Cordillera Las Lagunillas, Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador (song)
Black-headed Hemispingus (Pseudospingus verticalis) [XC242722]
by Oscar Humberto Mar\u00edn G\u00f3mez from Napo: 4.5 km below Oyacachi, Ecuador (call, song, twitter song, calls)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Genus has been thought to belong with New World warblers (Parulidae), but recent molecular-genetic data support placement in present family. The monophyly of genus questioned. It is supported by some molecular data, but other molecular data equivocal. Forms a superspecies with Drab Hemispingus (Pseudospingus xanthophthalmus), both formerly placed in separate genus, Pseudospingus.