Photo: Takashi Muramatsu / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blakiston’s Fish Owl
Ketupa blakistoni
Blakiston's Fish Owl (Ketupa blakistoni) — Owls of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl (Ketupa blakistoni) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 3.9 kg.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Ketupa
- Species blakistoni
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.9 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of rivers and riverside habitats, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl (Ketupa blakistoni) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL ne China and n Japan.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 3.9 kg, with a wing length of about 50.8 cm and a tail of around 26.1 cm.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.3 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blakiston’s Fish Owl?
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl is a very large bird that weighs around 3.9 kg.
Where does the Blakiston’s Fish Owl live?
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL ne China and n Japan, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Blakiston’s Fish Owl belong to?
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl (Ketupa blakistoni) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Blakiston’s Fish Owl eat?
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Blakiston’s Fish Owl migrate?
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
How large is the Blakiston’s Fish Owl's range?
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl has a mapped global range of about 2.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Strigidae
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
More in Owls
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Meet the Strigidae
A field guide to the Strigidae family — 236 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.