The Puna Teal is distributed in the Andes from central Peru to northern Chile, Bolivia and north-western Argentina. It is found on the altiplano at between 3000 and 4500 metres.

It is often treated as a sub-species of Silver Teal S. versicolor but, as Alvaro Jaramillo points out, they differ in plumage, size, bill colour, habitat and migratory habits. The most noticeable differences are the white rather than yellowish-buff face and the lack of a yellow base to the blue bill.