Found in the southern and western South America, its natural habitat is freshwater lakes, ponds and sluggish rivers and streams.

R. r. rolland is almost flightless, and considerably larger (typically weighs about twice as much as R. r. chilensis) and with deeper rufous underparts than the other two subspecies.

[4] The white-tufted grebe is found in the southern and western parts of South America, occurring from lowlands up to an altitude of 4,500 m (14,800 ft) above sea level.

[2] Its range includes south-eastern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Argentina and the Falkland Islands.

[2][4] Birds in southernmost South America form into flocks after the breeding season and migrate northwards up the coast.

[5] The widespread R. r. chilensis is strongly territorial when breeding and pairs usually are solitary nesters, but they may nest in loose colonies with conspecifics in places with few suitable sites but sufficient food.

[5] The white-tufted grebe catches its prey in rather sluggish dives that may last up to 20 seconds or by only submerging its head while swimming on the surface.

[8] The other subspecies with a small range, the Falkland white-tufted grebe (R. r. rolland), has a population estimated to consist of about 1,000 pairs and this makes it potentially vulnerable, but there is no clear evidence of it having declined in recent times.