A slender owl with long, erect, and closely-set ear tufts. Adult male and female similarly colored, but males are often paler than females. Underparts of both subspecies are more boldly streaked and cross-hatched with the same blend of colors.
Juveniles are similar to adults, but often are more richly colored with some blackish brown barring.
During the day, it roosts motionless in a tree, close to the trunk. In winter, dense evergreen forests or thickets are preferred, often roosting gregariously in large, close-knit groups. Also will use caves and rock crevices for winter roosts if forests are scarce. Rarely feeds on small snakes, frogs, and beetles. Known to have killed screech and saw-whet owls.