Ebird describes it as "A medium-sized night bird of forest and open areas from the lowlands to the mountains.

Heavily patterned in various shades of brown, with finely barred underparts, blotching on the chest, and dark wings with large pinkish and white spots and a broad pale bar bordered with black.

Voice is a distinctive, loud two-noted "pyok prraw", the second note slightly lower and with a vibrating quality.

Lays one to two oval and splotched brown eggs, typically in the months of April to June which is the breeding season for most Philippine birds.

[4] Has a diverse range of habitats from primary and secondary lowland and montane forest, pine forest and second growth, scrubland, beaches and even agricultural lands.