The Buffy-headed Marmoset is distributed in a small area of south-east Brazil between the rivers Doce and Paraíba. It is found in remnants of Atlantic Rain Forest and above 400 metres.

It is classified as Endangered and is a Brazilian endemic.

There is a dark mask round the eyes and nose, the head and ear-tufts are buffy, the back is banded buffy-orange and black and the underparts are buffy with black down the centre of the chest.