Southern Colombia (Caquetá), north-eastern Ecuador (Napo, Sucumbios), eastern Peru (Loreto south to Madre de Dios), south-western Amazonian Brazil (east to R Purus drainage) and north-western Bolivia (Pando, northern La Paz, Beni).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Plumbeous Antbird (Myrmelastes hyperythrus) [XC540041]
by id from Inkaterra Guides Field Station, Tambopata, Madre de Dios, Peru (call)
Plumbeous Antbird (Myrmelastes hyperythrus) [XC475809]
by Diego Caiafa from Parque estadual Chandless, State of Acre, Brazil (song)
Subspecies
Genus appears not to represent a monophyletic grouping, but traditional arrangement maintained pending further phylogenetic study. Along with Goeldi's Antbird (Akletos goeldii), White-shouldered Antbird (Akletos melanoceps), Sooty Antbird (Hafferia fortis) and Blue-lored Antbird (Hafferia immaculata) often considered to form a species group on basis of large size, but more work needed in order to confirm a close relationship.