South-eastern Colombia (southern from southern Meta and western Vaupés), eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, Amazonian Brazil (mostly south of R Amazon, east to lower R Tapajós) and northern Bolivia (Pando, La Paz).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Chestnut-winged Hookbill (Ancistrops strigilatus) [XC258189]
by John V. Moore from Loreto: between Iquitos and mouth of R\u00edo Napo, Peru (song)
Chestnut-winged Hookbill (Ancistrops strigilatus) [XC692666]
by Fernando Igor de Godoy from Asariamas, Madidi NP, La Paz, Bolivia (song)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Plumage and distribution suggest that closest relative of genus is Philydor.
Proposed subspecies cognitus, from lower R Tapajós (Brazil), described as more ochraceous and paler above, more buffy below, particularly throat, which has fewer dusky spots, with supercilium more buff. However, these characters bridged by individual variation in series from farther west.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
strigilatus (Spix, 1825) - Western, central Amazonia.
cognitus Griscom & Greenway Jr, 1937 - Central Brazil (lower Rio Tapajós).