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) [XC525586]
by id from PNN Chiribiquete, cunar\u00e9- Am\u00fa, Colombia (?)
White-chested Puffbird (Malacoptila fusca) [XC188625]
by Alexandre Renaudier from Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil (song)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Semicollared Puffbird (Malacoptila semicincta). Birds from southern Venezuela sometimes separated as subspecies venezuelae, but appear indistinguishable from other populations.