A small, compact, gray-brown owl with small ear tufts. It occupies moist woodland and arid savanna, provided there are trees with cavities for nesting. Its supreme wooden-stump-like camouflage keeps it well hidden during the day. At night a unique croaking frog-like “prreeeuup” call is repeated every 5–8 seconds, sometimes for long periods, and is the easiest way to track it down.