Blakiston's Fish Owl
Bubo blakistoni
Conservation Status
Near ThreatenedAves · Strigiformes · Strigidae
About
Blakiston's fish owl, the largest living species of owl, is a fish owl, a sub-group of eagle-owls that specialize in hunting in riparian areas. It is native to China, Japan, and the Russian Far East. This species is a part of the family known as typical owls (Strigidae), which contains most species of owl. Blakiston's fish owl and three other piscivorous owls are placed with some eagle-owls in the genus Ketupa. Its habitat is riparian forest with large, old trees for nest sites near lakes, rivers, springs, and shoals that do not freeze in winter. Henry Seebohm named this bird after the English naturalist Thomas Blakiston, who collected the original specimen in Hakodate on Hokkaidō, Japan in 1883.
Fun Fact
Blakiston's fish owl is the largest owl species in the world by wingspan, and it is the only owl that specializes in catching fish, wading into icy streams and snatching salmon with its massive talons.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Riparian old-growth forests
Diet
Piscivore
Lifespan
15-20 years
Threats
- Genetic Bottleneck
- Illegal Logging
- Illegal Wildlife Trade
- Wildfire