This small, pale-gray owl lives on Socotra in arid places with trees, including palms. It is more often detected by its voice than seen.
It has a compact build, pale-gray plumage, and small ear tufts.
A 2013 island survey recorded the owl during night surveys in about 45% of Socotra's area, especially where mature trees and palms were plentiful. It was found up to 850 m. Nestlings were recorded in February and recently fledged young from February to April.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.