Western Ecuador (Manabí) south through western Peru to northern Chile; also east of Andes in extreme south-eastern Ecuador (Zamora-Chinchipe) and Marañón drainage of Peru.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Pacific Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium peruanum) [XC512763]
by Hans Matheve from Rio Ayampe, Santa Elena, Ecuador (song)
Pacific Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium peruanum) [XC450979]
by Hans Matheve from Alamala, Catamayo, Loja, Ecuador (song)
Subspecies
Considered to form superspecies with Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum), Tucuman Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium tucumanum) and Austral Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium nana). Recently separated from Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) based on bioacoustical analysis and DNA evidence. Name peruanum is applicable to birds of Amazonian slope; scientific description of form from Pacific slope currently in preparation.