Characterization: Species measuring about 17.5 cm. It has reddish eyes, and a rufous color on its belly and body.

Distribution: This bird occurs from Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul, near Rio de Janeiro in mountainous regions.

Habitat: It inhabits forest edges, secondary growth forests and woods, especially near sources of water, swamps, marshes, and coastal plain swamps.

Habits: This is a nocturnal species and is almost always perched in trees. One of the most common owls in cities, urban parks, and farms.

Diet: This bird hunts large insects like grasshoppers and moths, especially near light poles, where they concentrate. Less frequent in their diet, but also important are small vertebrates like mice and frogs.

Breeding: It lays 1-2 eggs in the summer in nests built with leaves, dried grass branches hanging from bamboo trees from where the nest hangs with access from underneath the nest. Its boot-shaped nest is what gave it its popular name .