The Rufous-crowned Elaenia occurs in Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. It has a rufous crown patch, pale wing-bars, and a cream underside, and searches foliage for insects while also eating fruit.
Its upperparts are brown, with a rufous crown patch, two pale wing-bars, and a cream underside.
It searches foliage for insects and also eats fruit, foraging in trees about 1–8 m above ground.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.