This species occurs in mountainous forests (Smith and Xie 2008). Within the region of Sichuan and southern Gansu, it occurs in subalpine coniferous forest (Jackson and Schouten 2012). It is also found in mixed forest of spruce and red birch at 2,500-3,000 m asl (Liu et al. 2022).

This species is endemic to China, occurring in Sichuan, Gansu, Hebei (Smith and Xie 2008), and Beijing (CSIS 2008). It exists as two isolated populations; Aeretes melanopterus melanopterus in Hebei and Beijing and Aeretes melanopterus szechuanensis in northeastern Sichuan and southern Gansu (Smith and Xie 2008) and Qiangshai (Specimen from Northeast Forestry University). Aeretes melanopterus szechuanensis has been recorded between 2,500-3,000 m asl (Liu et al. 2022) and Aeretes melanopterus melanopterus 1,200-1,600 m asl (Jian-Guo Hao and Fang-Zhou Lou pers. comm. 2024, photographers who have photographed this species in Hebei).

There are no known conservation measures in place for this species. It may be present in protected areas. It is often observed in the forest within the Jiuzhaigou National Park (Wright et al. 2013) and Wuling Mountain National Nature Reserve in Hebei Province (Jian-Guo Hao and Fang-Zhou Lou pers. comm. 2024). Further studies are needed into the abundance, natural history and threats to this species. In China, it has been regionally Red Listed as Endangered A1ac (Wang and Xie 2004). China’s red list of biodiversity lists it as NT (Jiang et al. 2021).Taxonomic research is needed to determine whether the two sub-species are distinct enough to be considered separate species (Quan Li pers. comm. 2024).