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World Owl Trust

Saturday October 11th, 2008


Brown Fish Owl
Bubo (ketupa) zeylonensis
Click on small image to view larger one   Brown Fish Owl
As of February 2005.
Description Large, eared owl, rufous brown above heavily streaked with black or dark brown, paler whitish below with dark streaks and fine brown bars. White throat, yellow eyes and a rather indistinct facial disk.
Size 48-57cm, 1100-2500g
Range SW Asia Minor across through Iran, Pakistan, the Indian sub-continent including Sri Lanka, most of mainland SE Asia.
Habitat Open wooded country, lowland forest, mango groves and plantations always near water.
Food Fish, frogs and crabs also mammals, birds and reptiles and occasionally carrion.
Breeding November-March. 1-2 eggs, nest often in old stick nest of other birds also rocky ledges or clefts in banks. Incubation up to 38 days, young fledge after about 7 weeks.
Call Deep “tu-hoo-hoo”.
Status Not globally threatened, generally uncommon in most areas although locally common in some areas. Probably extinct now in Israel.
Comments None at this time.
Races Latest DNA analysis indicates that the Fish Owls are just specialised Eagle Owls.
B.z.zeylonensis Sri Lanka
B.z.leschenault Indian sub-continent, Myanmar (except NE) and Thailand
B.z.semonowi SW Asia Minor, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan
B.z.orientalis NE Myanmar, Vietnam and SE China

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