Distribution

Mainly in highlands of Ecuador, Peru, and northwestern Bolivia (20 Fjeldså, J., and N. Krabbe (1990). Birds of the High Andes. A Manual to the Birds of the Temperate Zone of the Andes and Patagonia, South America. Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen and Apollo Books, Copenhagen and Svendborg, Denmark. Close ); probably extirpated in the Andes of Chile (21 Jaramillo, A. (2003). A Field Guide to the Birds of Chile Including the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). It has been recorded year-round in different lowland valleys in Peru and Chile (22 Estades, C. F., J. Aguirre, and C. Tala (2004). Theristicus melanopis branickii en el valle de Azapa. Boletín Chileno de Ornitología 10:41-42. Close , 16 Vizcarra, J. (2009). Observaciones de Theristicus melanopis melanopis y Theristicus melanopis branickii en el distrito de Ite, Sur de Perú. Boletín Chileno de Ornitología 15(2):104-110. Close ; see eBird).

Ecuador

Mainly occurs in the area of Antisana National Park. However, it was also discovered occurring along the Salayambo, Yanacocha, Chalupas, and Huahui rivers (23 Muñoz-Ron, I., N. Luzuriaga, A. Heredia, L. González, J. Velasteguí, I. Olmedo, J. García, and E. Bonaccorso (2021). New records of Andean Ibis Theristicus branickii in Ecuador. Cotinga 43:96-98. Close ).

Peru

Present mainly in the Andes, from Huascarán National Park, Ancash to Puno. It is also present in the lowlands, on the western side of the Andes (16 Vizcarra, J. (2009). Observaciones de Theristicus melanopis melanopis y Theristicus melanopis branickii en el distrito de Ite, Sur de Perú. Boletín Chileno de Ornitología 15(2):104-110. Close ), where it seems to be more common than in the past (see eBird).

Bolivia

Mainly present near Titicaca and La Paz, with extralimital records near Oruro (van der Meer in eBird) and Cochabamba (García-Solís in eBird, Veizaga in eBird).

Chile

Formerly occurred in the northern Andes in Chile, but is likely now extirpated there (21 Jaramillo, A. (2003). A Field Guide to the Birds of Chile Including the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Present in the lowland valleys of Azapa (22 Estades, C. F., J. Aguirre, and C. Tala (2004). Theristicus melanopis branickii en el valle de Azapa. Boletín Chileno de Ornitología 10:41-42. Close ), Lluta, Chaca, and Camarones (see eBird), where apparently there is a stable population; it is not clear whether these birds are winter migrants (24 Goodall, J. D., A. W. Johnson, and R. A. Phillipi (1951). Las Aves de Chile: su Conocimiento y sus Costumbres. Platt Establecimientos Gráficos, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Close ), or if they might be breeding somewhere in those valleys.

Extralimital records

Recorded in “Los Toldos,” near Salta, Argentina (25 Müller, G. C., O. H. Braslavsky, and M. L. Chatellenaz (2021). La bandurria andina (Theristicus branickii), nueva especia para Argentina. El Hornero 36(1):61-70. Close ). There is also an extralimital record from Pintados, in the Tarapaca region in Chile (Figueroa, personal communication).

Formerly in Lauca National Park in the Chilean Andes, but now is extirpated from there (24 Goodall, J. D., A. W. Johnson, and R. A. Phillipi (1951). Las Aves de Chile: su Conocimiento y sus Costumbres. Platt Establecimientos Gráficos, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Close ). It is unknown if the distribution was more extensive.