The Northern pygmy owl is small and has a long tail. It has shiny yellow eyes, yellow feet, and small tuffs of fur with its ears. Its feathers are a reddish brown speckled with white. Like all of the members of its family, it has fake eye spots that are black and outlined in white on the back of its neck. The Northern Pygmy Owl's stomach is white with black stripes. The Northern Pygmy Owl tends to perch in a diagonal position rather than an upright position.