The Square-tailed Kite is threatened from habitat destruction, the depletion of food through deforestation, and pastoralism, illegal egg-collecting and shooting.
There are no overall population estimates although it has always been considered uncommon. A decline of 10% of the current population expected over the next 10 years or three generations.
Lophoictinia isura is considered as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. CITES lists the species as "Appendix 2".