Small, striking gray and white raptor with black shoulder patches. Underparts white with two black patches on underwing extending from "armpit" to "wrist". Legs and feet are almost white. Eyes bright red with dark markings around the eye giving a very round owl-like appearance. Nocturnal, and unlikely to be seen hovering over grasslands searching for prey in the middle of the day like Black-shouldered Kite. Very rare; typically occurs inland Australia, although occasionally disperses more widely.