Southern Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario south throughout eastern part of US to east Mexico. The facial disks in both phases are outlined in black, and both show two rows of white wing spotting and lightly banded tails. Underparts lighter, also with darker vertical and horizontal patterning. Grayish facial disks. Plain rufous above without the heavy markings found in the gray phase.
Underparts are creamish with rufous crossbars and dark vertical streaking.
Rufous facial disks. Immature in both phases initially covered with white down. Gray or red coloring follows with darker horizontal barring without streaks. Vocalizations include descending whinny or sharp bouncing ball sound on one pitch. It is nocturnal, and hunts by taking short flights from a tree with surrounding open area, or one located on edge of woods.