Accipiter imitator requires large tracts of undisturbed forest and is threatened as a result of logging and the loss of its habitat.
Accipiter imitator is a very rare and little-known species found only in forested areas on south Bougainville island, Papua New Guinea, and Choiseul and Santa Isabel, Solomon islands.
No observations of Accipiter imitator were made during 11 visits to Bougainville, 1980--1986, or during a visit to Coiseul in 1990 or in 1994. It was sighted twice on Santa Isabel, 1986--1988, in inland forest in the lower valleys. With less than 250 mature individuals it is expected that the species will experience a continued decline.
Accipiter imitator is considered as "Endangered" by the the IUCN Red List for threatened species. CITES lists it as "Appendix 2".