Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.
Eastern Ecuador and south-eastern Colombia east to southern Venezuela and the Guianas and south to north-eastern Peru and northern Brazil (north of Amazon).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
White-chested Puffbird (Malacoptila fusca) [XC257963]
by John V. Moore from Sucumb\u00edos: 'Sacha Lodge', n bank R\u00edo Napo, Ecuador (call, song, song or call)
White-chested Puffbird (Malacoptila fusca) [XC525379]
by Mauricio \u00c1lvarez-Rebolledo (Colecci\u00f3n de Sonidos Ambientales - Instituto Humboldt) from PNN Chiribiquete, cunar\u00e9- Am\u00fa, Colombia (?)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Semicollared Puffbird (Malacoptila semicincta). Birds from southern Venezuela sometimes separated as subspecies venezuelae, but appear indistinguishable from other populations.