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) [XC306690]
by Hans Matheve from Casitas, Jambel\u00ed, El Oro, Ecuador (call)
Baird's Flycatcher (Myiodynastes bairdii) [XC326890]
by Jerome Fischer from Chaparri EcoLodge, near Chongoyape, Lambayeque, Peru (song)
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).