It is thought to be an endangered species, with a small population, and a very restricted distribution range within which commercial development threatens the habitat.

[3] Attempts have been made to identify new locations where the species could occur based on identification of suitable habitats using computational models.

[6] L. phoenicea L. ripponi L. bugunorum L. omeiensis L. steerii The species was described in 2006 after being discovered in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, India, by an astrophysicist, Ramana Athreya.

Due to the apparent rarity of the species no type specimen was collected, instead feathers from the mist net, photographs, recordings and notes were used as the holotype.

The 1991 description of the Bulo Burti boubou (Laniarius liberatus), an African bushshrike species later considered invalid, lacked a specimen and only blood samples were collected and has been more controversial.

[9] The species is a sister of Liocichla omeiensis and the speciation may have been caused by the isolating geographic barrier of the Hengduan mountains.

While the species is capable of living in degraded forests, its small population is considered threatened, especially in the light of plans to build a highway through an area thought to be its primary habitat.