This large eagle-owl has a spotted belly. It is nocturnal and hunts in humid riverside and mountain forests.
It has prominent ear tufts, brown plumage, and spots across the belly. A broad facial disc surrounds the eyes.
It is a nocturnal carnivore. It may wait from a perch and catch small animals or fish.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Researchers surveyed the market in Tuensang, Nagaland, once a week from May 2009 through April 2010. The bird records included 2 individuals of the Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, and Appendix 1 lists a price of 350 rupees for the species.