The White-tailed Trogon is found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. (Ridgely & Greenfield treat the subspecies T.v. chionurus found from Panama and the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador as a separate species which they call Western White-tailed Trogon. This is on the basis of plumage differences, especially all white undertails, and different voices.) There is a disjunct population in eastern Brazil.

It inhabits a variety of forest and woodland habitats where it feeds on fruits, berries and insects.

The female is grey rather than green and violet and has more black on the tail but still has the yellow belly and the pale blue eye-ring.