A species’ choice of habitat critically influences its survival and reproductive success. Quantifying these preferences reveals key ecological requirements and underpins evidence-based conservation planning. The Temminck’s Tragopan Tragopan temminckii, a protected pheasant species inhabiting mountainous forests in China, exhibits distinct habitat requirements during winter. This study investigated its winter habitat use in replanted broadleaf forests within the Laojunshan Nature Reserve, Sichuan, from December 2024 to February 2025, with the aim of identifying key habitat features. The results showed that T. temminckii selected winter habitats at elevations between 1,310 and 1,860 m, on slopes averaging approximately 24°, predominantly on shady and semi-shady aspects, and in close proximity to streams. The birds preferred sites with taller trees, higher tree and bamboo canopy cover, and greater litter coverage compared with random sites. In contrast, they avoided areas with dense shrub cover and greater herb height, likely as a strategy to reduce predation risk, because dense shrub cover and tall herb constrain visibility and movement. These patterns suggest that tragopans prioritise thermal shelter, foraging efficiency and visual concealment from predators during winter. We suggest that the conservation and restoration of successional broadleaf forests with moderate canopy cover and open understorey conditions would benefit the winter survival and population persistence of this species.