The species occurs in moist oak and rhododendron forest with dense undergrowth and bamboo clumps, mixed forest, scrub and densely vegetated ravines, and is a partial altitudinal migrant. They occur from 1,800 m (where they are sometimes recorded down to in winter) to 4,500 m, with most sightings occurring within the elevation band of 2,300 to 3,900 m (Namgay and Thinley 2017).
 
Migratory tragopans use all forest types across their annual cycles, using mostly high-elevation fir and mixed conifer forests in the summer and cool broadleaved forests in the winter. Residents and a few migrants continue to use mixed conifer forests during winter (Norbu et al. 2016).

Changes in habitat use from summer to winter is not a simple transition to lower elevation forests and vice versa during spring; there seems to be a complex pattern which differs between individuals. Some migrate within a single habitat type (e.g. higher elevation mixed conifer forest to lower elevation mixed conifer forest), whereas others were found to migrate to lower elevations within a forest transition complex consisting of mixed conifer and cool broadleaved forests. One female and male were found to migrate to higher elevation fir forests from mixed-conifer forests during the winter. The species was found to prefer oak forests in the winter months and move according to food availability and snowfall. After oak, fir forests and then juniper were found to have the next highest frequency of occurrence (Norbu et al. 2016).

Canopy cover, plant diversity and shrub cover does not seem to influence the abundance and distribution of the species (Namgay and Thinley 2017). A previous study found the species in both open and closed habitats, with closed habitats being possibly preferred for roosting and cover, and open areas preferred for calls and display activities (Khaling et al. 1999).

Tragopan satyra occurs in the Himalayas of Nepal (uncommon), India (uncommon), Bhutan (fairly common) and China (local, with a limited range in south and south-east Tibet) (BirdLife International 2001).

Conservation Actions Underway
None is known.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey to assess the size of the population. Regularly monitor the population at selected sites. Asses the effect of hunting on populations. Conduct local education programmes to discourage hunting. Protect large areas of unlogged forest in areas where it occurs.