This bird occurs in the highlands (5,000 ft/1,500 m ASL and higher) of the Andes, from Venezuela and Colombia through Ecuador and Peru south to Bolivia and perhaps northwesternmost Argentina.

In the Conover Collection of the Field Museum, there is a hypopigmented female specimen of the subspecies atrogularis taken December 20, 1929, at Pucará (west Ecuador).

The forehead, chin and upper throat retain the normal color and the hind part of the body is faintly barred pinkish-buff; otherwise the plumage is white.

This particular bird has abraded feathers; prior to its death it seems to have been held in a cage for some time, presumably to show off such a rare specimen.

[6] The Andean guan is affected by habitat destruction, apparently unable to cope with deforestation, and is also hunted for food.