A small pigeon-sized bird of prey with bluish grey plumage and striking red eyes. It lives in open dehesas, pastures with isolated trees and extensive cereal fields. It mainly hunts rodents and small birds at dusk and dawn, although on cloudy days it can be active at any time. It can have several broods during the year if the food supply is available. Although not a migratory species, it will disperse to areas of high rodent abundance.