Seiurus aurocapilla, commonly known as the Ovenbird, is native to North America. It primarily breeds in the northeastern United States and southern Canada, extending from the Canadian provinces such as Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Ontario, down through the United States in states like Minnesota, Michigan, and New York, and as far south as Tennessee and the Appalachian Mountains.

The Ovenbird typically inhabits deciduous and mixed forests, favoring mature woodlands with dense understory and leaf litter. These forests provide the nesting and foraging resources necessary for their survival. The species thrives in areas with moderate to heavy ground cover and sparse shrubbery, allowing it to forage for insects and other invertebrates on the forest floor.

As a ground-nesting passerine bird, the Ovenbird is adapted to life on the forest floor within its woodland habitat. Its niche includes feeding primarily on insects and other invertebrates that it finds among the leaf litter, playing a crucial role in the forest ecosystem as both a predator and prey species. The Ovenbird's ability to thrive in dense forests and its distinctive ground-dwelling behavior differentiate it within its ecological context.