Brazil (southern Mato Grosso do Sul east to Minas Gerais, locally to southern Bahia, and south to Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul), eastern Paraguay, north-eastern Argentina and northern Uruguay. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Highland Elaenia (Elaenia obscura).
Small-headed Elaenia (Elaenia sordida) [XC666478]
by JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA from Reserva Biol\u00f3gica do Tingu\u00e1, Nova Igua\u00e7u, RJ, Brazil (song)
Small-headed Elaenia (Elaenia sordida) [XC832926]
by JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA from C\u00f3rrego Batalha, Paracatu, Minas Gerais, Brazil (call)
Subspecies
Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Highland Elaenia (Elaenia obscura).