Blakiston's fish owl (Ketupa blakistoni)

Blakiston's fish owl, perched on branch at night
Blakiston's fish owl, perched on branch at night

Blakiston's fish owl fact file

Blakiston's fish owl description

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderStrigiformes
FamilyStrigidae
GenusKetupa (1)

Blakiston’s fish owl is a large eagle owl, with a wingspan that can reach up to two metres long (4). The wings are dark brown with tawny bars whilst the rest of the upper-body is a paler brown colour (2). The facial disc is greyish and these birds can be distinguished by their characteristically long ear tufts (2). The bill is grey with a yellowish tip (2).

Spanish
Búho Manchú.
Size
Length: 60 – 72 cm (2)
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Blakiston's fish owl biology

Pairs of Blakiston’s fish owl mate for life and occupy distinct territories within their forest habitat. In late February and early March, nests begin to be constructed in the hollows of large trees (5). The female lays a clutch of around two eggs, which she then incubates over the 35 days it takes for her offspring to hatch. During this time the male will guard her and provide food (5). Once the chicks have hatched they will remain with their parents for a further 1.5 months (5).

Blakiston’s fish owl is a specialised feeder on aquatic prey such as fish, amphibians and even small mammals. Prey are often seized by walking through the shallows; these birds spend such long periods of time on the ground that they make trails along the riverbank (4).

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Blakiston's fish owl range

Blakiston’s fish owl is found in Siberia, northeast China and the island of Hokkaido in Japan (2).

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Blakiston's fish owl habitat

These owls are found in old, dense forests along the banks of large rivers (2). In the north of its range, rocky coastline is also inhabited (4).

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Blakiston's fish owl status

Blakiston’s fish owl is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List (1), and listed on Appendix II of CITES (3).

IUCN Red List species status – Endangered

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Blakiston's fish owl threats

Habitat loss is the major cause of the decline in Blakiston’s fish owl numbers that has been documented throughout its range (5). Logging of these old forests has been rife and continues to threaten remaining populations today. These owls are targeted by hunters in Russia as they are believed to spoil the fur of trapped animals (5). The depletion of fish numbers through overfishing is also a pertinent threat to this bird of prey (5).

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Blakiston's fish owl conservation

Blakiston’s fish owl is legally protected in all of the countries within which it is found, and occurs within a number of protected areas (2). On Hokkaido, nest boxes and supplementary feeding regimes have been in place since 1984 and a captive breeding and release programme is also underway (5). Without the provision of adequate habitat, however, these measures are ultimately ineffective (5). It has been suggested that a National Park should be created in northern Russia which could help to secure some of the habitat in this region (5).

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

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Find out more

For more information on the Blakiston’s fish owl see:

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Authentication

This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
arkive@wildscreen.org.uk

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Glossary

Territories
Areas occupied and defended by an animal, a pair of animals or a colony.
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References

  1. IUCN Red List (May, 2008)
    http://www.iucnredlist.org
  2. BirdLife International (May, 2008)
    http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=2229&m=0
  3. CITES (August, 2003)
    http://www.cites.org
  4. Hawk Conservancy (August, 2003)
    http://www.hawk-conservancy.org/priors/blakistonsfishowl.shtml
  5. BirdLife International. (2001) Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.

More »Related species

Brown fish-owl (Ketupa zeylonensis)Usambara eagle-owl (Bubo vosseleri)Christmas hawk-owl (Ninox natalis)Southern white-faced owl (Ptilopsis granti)Spotted eagle-owl (Bubo africanus)Russet hawk-owl (Ninox odiosa)Pemba scops-owl (Otus pembaensis)Pallid scops-owl (Otus brucei)

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Image credit

Blakiston's fish owl, perched on branch at night  
Blakiston's fish owl, perched on branch at night

© David Tipling / www.flpa-images.co.uk

FLPA - images of nature
Pages Green House
Wetheringsett
Stowmarket
Suffolk IP14 5QA
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1728 861 113
Fax: +44 (0) 1728 860 222
pictures@flpa-images.co.uk
http://www.flpa-images.co.uk

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