This owlet-nightjar inhabits New Guinea’s lowland rainforest, with records in southern Papua New Guinea and along the Muyu River on the Indonesian side.
It has pale fawn plumage, facial feathers without recurved filamentous tips, and stiff feathers around the ears and throat.
It inhabits lowland forest where rivers emerge from the foothills.
On 6 October 2012, three birds began calling spontaneously about 30 minutes after sunset in selectively logged lowland rainforest along the Muyu River, Indonesian New Guinea.
In the same Muyu River observations, birds attracted by playback perched about 3 m high in dense vegetation. One bobbed its whole body immediately after landing.
Adults have star-like white spots on the crown and back and white barring on the upper tail.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.