Ketupa ketupu
The Buffy Fish Owl, *Ketupa ketupu*, is a strikingly adapted medium-sized owl native to Southeast Asia, renowned for its specialized piscivorous diet. Reaching lengths of 40-50 cm (16-20 inches) with a wingspan of approximately 100-120 cm (39-47 inches) and weighing 1-2 kg (2.2-4.4 lbs), it presents a robust appearance. Its plumage is predominantly rufous-buff to tawny, heavily streaked with dark brown on the underparts and mottled brown on the upperparts, offering excellent camouflage agains...
Found primarily in tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, often adjacent to rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, or mangrove swamps. It prefers areas with dense vegetation for roosting and open water for foraging, from sea level up to around 1,500 meters.
Primarily piscivorous, feeding on various fish species, but also takes crabs, frogs, snakes, small mammals (rodents, bats), and even large insects. It hunts by ambushing prey from a perch over water or wading in shallows.
The Buffy Fish Owl is largely nocturnal and crepuscular, emerging at dusk to hunt and typically roosting during the day in dense foliage near water bodies, often on a low branch or in a tree hollow. Foraging strategy primarily involves a 'sit-and-wait' approach from a low perch overlooking water,...
The Buffy Fish Owl has a wide distribution across Southeast Asia, extending from the Himalayan foothills and northeastern India through Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, and Indonesia. Its range includes Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and various smaller islands...
Least Concern
- Unlike many owls, the Buffy Fish Owl has unfeathered tarsi and strong, spiky talons, perfectly adapted for gripping slippery aquatic prey. - Its scientific name, *Ketupa ketupu*, is onomatopoeic, derived from its characteristic call. - Despite being primarily nocturnal, it is often active durin...