This small owl lives in western North America. Its plumage varies by region, and at night it waits on a perch to catch prey.
It has a squarish head and short ear tufts. Plumage ranges from gray to brown or rufous in different regions.
It is active at night and waits quietly on a perch for prey. Small mammals are its main food, but birds, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates may also be taken, depending on place and season.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.