The Slate-crowned Antpitta is distributed in the coastal mountains of Venezuela and in the Andes from Venezuela to northern Peru. There is also a disjunct population near Mt Roraima in south-east Venezuela and western Guyana. It is found in the undergrowth of montane forest especially in association with Chusquea bamboo.

The song is a note about 2 seconds long which is repeated at intervals of between 5 and 20 seconds for about 30 notes.