The Plovercrest is distributed in south-east Brazil from Espírito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul and in adjacent areas of eastern Paraguay and north-eastern Argentina.

It is found in the understorey of the Atlantic Rain Forest and in scrub land. It is often associated with streams.

These photos are of males showing the long elegant crest which is lacking in the female. In the north of its range, the nominate sub-species shows an iridescent green forehead while further south the sub-species S. l. loddigesii shows an iridescent blue forehead and has a less extensive violet-blue belly.