Central and eastern Panama (from Veraguas on Pacific slope and Colón on Caribbean east to Darién, also Pearl Is), western and northern Colombia (Pacific slope in Chocó and Valle, Caribbean slope east to Magdalena, upper Cauca Valley, Magdalena Valley, and base of eastern Andes south to Meta), west, northern and eastern Venezuela (southern Táchira and western Apure, coastal zone from Aragua east to Delta Amacuro, and along R Orinoco) and western Ecuador.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Jet Antbird (Cercomacra nigricans) [XC220743]
by Mitch Lysinger from Ca\u00f1o Colorado, Monagas, Venezuela (song)
Jet Antbird (Cercomacra nigricans) [XC712249]
by Rolf A. de By from La Chunga Trail, Panama (song)
Subspecies
Appears to form a species group with Rio Branco Antbird (Cercomacra carbonaria), Mato Grosso Antbird (Cercomacra melanaria) and Bananal Antbird (Cercomacra ferdinandi) on basis of plumage, vocalizations and ecology, with Manu Antbird (Cercomacra manu) probably sister to the group. Birds from north-western Colombia sometimes separated as subspecies atrata, but considered indistinguishable from other populations.