Aquila clanga is declining at least in the western half of its range in response to disturbance and destruction of habitat. However, trends are generally difficult to judge because of past and continuing problems with field identification.
Aquila clanga occupies a massive but highly fragmented breeding range extending through lowland primary forests, always near water, from Finland, Latvia, Poland, Belarus, Moldova and Romania into Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Pakistan, India, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia. Wintering birds occur regularly in Morocco, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Aquila clanga occurs at extremely low densities. The maximum population in Europe west of the Urals is approximately 900 pairs.
A. clanga is considered as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. CITES lists it in "Appendix 2".