Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania [United Republic of], Uganda.
Djibouti, central and southern Ethiopia, extreme south-eastern Sudan, north-eastern Uganda, Kenya, southern Somalia and north-eastern, central and southern Tanzania.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2012).
Voice
Very similar to that of Kenya Yellow-rumped Seedeater (Crithagra reichenowi) - a prolonged series of wheezy whistles and chirrups. Also a thin 'sueee' uttered in flight.
Thought to form a superspecies with Southern Yellow-rumped Seedeater (Crithagra atrogularis) and Yellow-rumped Seedeater (Crithagra xanthopygia), and previously considered conspecific with both, but differs morphologically and vocally and not known to interact or associate with Southern Yellow-rumped Seedeater (Crithagra atrogularis) in areas of range overlap. Smaller birds with whiter underparts from eastern coastal areas proposed as subspecies hilgerti (described from Afgooye, in coastal southern Somalia), but differences from birds elsewhere in species' range minimal.