Photo: Khan Mashuk Ahmed / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Buffy Fish Owl
Ketupa ketupu
Buffy Fish Owl (Ketupa ketupu) — Owls of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Buffy Fish Owl (Ketupa ketupu) is a member of the Strigidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 1.3 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Strigiformes
- Family Strigidae Owls
- Genus Ketupa
- Species ketupu
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.3 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Strigidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Buffy 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 Buffy Fish Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Buffy Fish Owl (Ketupa ketupu) belongs to the Strigidae family of the order Strigiformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR se Asia to Java and Borneo.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.3 kg, with a wing length of about 33.5 cm and a tail of around 14.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Buffy Fish Owl?
The Buffy Fish Owl is a very large bird that weighs around 1.3 kg.
Where does the Buffy Fish Owl live?
The Buffy Fish Owl is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR se Asia to Java and Borneo, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Buffy Fish Owl belong to?
The Buffy Fish Owl (Ketupa ketupu) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.
What does the Buffy Fish Owl eat?
The Buffy Fish Owl hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Buffy Fish Owl migrate?
The Buffy Fish Owl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Buffy Fish Owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Buffy Fish Owl make?
1 real field recording of the Buffy Fish Owl — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Buffy Fish Owl's range?
The Buffy Fish Owl has a mapped global range of about 2.6 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.
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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.