The Barred Owlet-nightjar inhabits moist forests on New Guinea and nearby islands. It has fine pale lines on its dark back and broad bars on its pale underside.
It is 20–23 cm long. The dark brown to blackish back has fine pale lines; the grey-white to buff underside has broad bars and spots.
It inhabits moist lowland and hill forest and lays white eggs.
In lowland and foothill forests it repeats short, raspy, falling kiyo-like calls or low wak-like notes.
Birds of lowland and foothill forests have a black central crown stripe, black eyebrows extending to the nape and a pale collar.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.