This scops owl is from the Nicobar Islands. The original description is based on specimens from Campbell Bay on Great Nicobar Island. Reports describe coastal forest and prey found in specimens, but ecological information remains limited.
The original description reports warm brown, finely barred plumage, rounded barred ear tufts, and a pale facial disk. The shoulder feathers have rounded white spots with black tips.
BirdLife's 2001 account reports a coastal forest about 1 km from the shore. Spiders, beetles, and geckos were reported from specimen stomach contents.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.