South-western Ecuador (central Manabí, from northern side of Bahía de Caráquez, south to El Oro and western Loja) and north-western Peru (southern on Pacific slope to Ancash and to northern Lima).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Baird's Flycatcher (Myiodynastes bairdii) [XC513959]
by id from Reserva Natural La Ceiba (Zapotillo - Loja) Malvas, Ecuador (drumming, song)
Baird's Flycatcher (Myiodynastes bairdii) [XC45727]
by Andrew Spencer from Quebrada Frejolillo, Lambayeque, Peru (call)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Affinities of genus uncertain. For long hypothesized as being closest to Conopias, largely on basis of similar hole-nesting tendencies. Genus probably monophyletic, although this only weakly supported by recent analyses of molecular-sequence data (likely due to inappropriate markers for the apparently long branches and deep level of divergence within genus). Findings from separate analyses of plumage/syringeal morphology and molecular data were not completely congruent, but evidence indicates that present species is basal to two main clades, one containing Golden-bellied Flycatcher (Myiodynastes hemichrysus) and Golden-crowned Flycatcher (Myiodynastes chrysocephalus) and the other Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher (Myiodynastes luteiventris) and Northern Streaked Flycatcher (Myiodynastes maculatus).