This small owl lives in forests on Negros and Panay in the Philippines. Its dark brown plumage, upright ear tufts, and orange-red eye rims are distinctive.
It is about 20 cm long. The ear tufts and body are dark brown, the facial disc has a darker rim, the forehead is pale, and the eye rims are orange-red.
It hunts at night for insects and other invertebrates. It has been reported nesting in tree hollows in forest.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.