Cambodia, China (mainland), Laos (B), Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam.
Vagrant to Bangladesh.
North-eastern Bangladesh, and central and south-eastern Myanmar and west, north-western and eastern Thailand east to southern China (southern Yunnan) and south to Indochina (southern Cambodia, central Annam).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Eared Pitta (Hydrornis phayrei) [XC494944]
by Bram Piot from Thma Doun Pov (near Khum Thma Doun Pov), Thma Bang, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (call)
Eared Pitta (Hydrornis phayrei) [XC154590]
by Ross Gallardy from Khao Yai National Park, Thailand (call)
Subspecies
Sometimes placed in a separate, monotypic genus Anthocincla, and such treatment may indeed be more appropriate. Allegedly darker birds from north-eastern Tonkin sometimes separated as subspecies obscura, but individual variation considerable.