This small owl occurs in western North America. It hunts from a perch in open woodland and at forest clearings.
It has a rounded head without ear tufts. The brown plumage has pale spots, and two dark spots on the nape resemble eyes. Grey and rusty-red morphs also occur.
It is most active around dawn and dusk. It hunts by waiting on a perch, watching for prey, then diving down to catch it on the ground or striking birds in shrubs. It also uses clearings for hunting.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.