The Northern Rufous-winged Antwren is distributed from Panama into Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador , Peru and Brazil. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. It is found in a variety of humid forest environments where it forages for insects in the canopy and sub-canopy of trees.

The female, as seen in photos 2 to 5, is particularly attractive with her rufous crown and forehead contrasting with her olive-brown back.