The species is often found singly, in pairs or small groups, and they are usually detected by their calls at dawn and dusk.

There is no clear facial disk and the wings are brownish and the tail is narrowly barred in white.

There are two subspecies, the nominate form is found in the plains of India and Sri Lanka, while G. r. malabaricum of the Western Ghats is shorter tailed and shows more brown on the head.

[4] In Sri Lanka, the chestnut-backed owlet (Glaucidium castanonotum) was once included as a subspecies but this is elevated to full species.

The call is distinctive and consists of a rapid series of prao..prao.prao-prao-prao that increases and then fades in volume before ending abruptly.