Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana (B), Guyana, Peru, Suriname (B), Venezuela.
Almost entire Amazon Basin, from Andean foothills in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, east to southern Venezuela (drainage of upper and middle R Orinoco), locally south-western Guyana, and Brazil (east to R Negro and R Xingu drainages, south to southern Mato Grosso, just extending to headwaters of R Paraguai).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Amazonian Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus ornatus) [XC249359]
by Caio Brito from Napo: 3 km NW Guagua Sumaco, Ecuador (song)
Amazonian Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus ornatus) [XC73335]
by Jeremy Minns from 16 km W of Guayaramirim, Beni, Bolivia (song)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
May form a superspecies with Bare-necked Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus glabricollis) and Long-wattled Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus penduliger) and all three suggested by some as being possibly conspecific, but this considered unlikely.