Its white, heart-shaped face and dark eyes are unmistakable. No other owl has this facial pattern. In flight the light buff plumage is conspicuous. It is sometimes mistaken for the Snowy Owl. There are no ear tufts.
Color varies from bird to bird, some being quite dark.
The darkest birds are always females, palest birds males. It has no close relatives but has a world-wide range. Adults and young are similar. It is a permanent resident throughout its range. The female lays 5-11 rough white, unmarked eggs.