It was named after zoologist Edmund Heller (1875–1939) a workmate of the American ornithologist Edgar Alexander Mearns (1856–1916) who described this species scientifically in 1913.

Despite its natural native habitat having been severely logged in the past, it has avoided forests with secondary growth, shrub vegetation, and cultivated areas.

The Taita Thrush, facing a precarious status with an estimated population of about 1,400 individuals, encountered a notable decline over recent years.

Urgent conservation actions are imperative to protect the Taita Hills' environment and address habitat degradation, fragmentation, and invasive species threats to secure the thrush's future.

The quality of the remaining larger forest fragments is relatively good, but low connectivity between patches poses a problem for the thrush population, potentially leading to inbreeding issues.