Most of Taliabu island's forest below 800 m, where Tyto nigrobrunnea is found, is designated for commercial logging, but the effects of the consequent habitat degradation on this species are unknown.
Tyto nigrobrunnea is known from Taliabu in the Sula Islands, Indonesia.
The only records of Tyto nigrobrunnea are a single specimen collected in 1938 and a bird seen in selectively logged lowland forest during a seven-week survey in 1991.
The Taliabu owl is listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN Red List.