The adult's face is a mix of whitish and brownish streaks and the rest of the head is raw umber with small white dots.

The upperparts are chestnut and the tail is blackish brown with lines of white spots making broken bars across it.

it differs from its geographically closest relatives in its overall lighter colouration, size and voice.

It has been observed in the canopy of humid forest near its edge at a maximum elevation of 150 m (490 ft) above sea level.

[5] The Pernambuco pygmy owl was found to be vocally active during the rainy season, April and May, but no other information about its breeding phenology is known.

[5] The IUCN has assessed the Pernambuco pygmy owl as being Critically Endangered and Possibly Extinct.