The Northern white-faced owl has a specific appearance. It is a small grayish-brown owl with long ear-tufts and a black-rimmed white face. The female specimens are known to be larger in size than males. They can be found in dry savannas and not too dense riverine forests, south of the desert Sahara. When faced with an enemy that is larger than it’s size, this bird is known to flare it’s wings to appear larger.