The Tropical Screech-Owl is widespread in South America and has several plumage morphs, including gray, brown, cinnamon and rufous. A Bolivian study detected its calls just after sunset and before dawn along forest edges.
It has short ear tufts, white scapular spots and yellow eyes. Plumage varies among gray, brown, cinnamon and rufous morphs.
In southern Bolivia, it was recorded in Chaco-Serrano dry montane forest and lower forests. At Chaco-Serrano forest edges, calls were detected at 850–1,600 m just after sunset or before dawn.
It eats insects and other invertebrates, occasionally taking small mammals or snakes, and nests in tree cavities.
At Itirapina in Brazil, four tracked males selected semi-open and semi-closed woodland during the night and denser woodland for daytime roosting.
At Timboy in Bolivia, a rufous-plumaged individual was recorded at 770 m on 27 August 2019.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.