[order] STRIGIFORMES | [family] Strigidae | [latin] Ketupa flavipes | [authority] Hodgson, 1836 | [UK] Tawny Fish Owl | [FR] Ketupa roux | [DE] Himalaya-Fischuhu | [ES] Buho Pescador Leonado | [NL] Himalaja-visuil
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Region | Range |
| Ketupa | flavipes | OR | Himalayas to Southeast Asia |
Genus
The Asian Fish-Owls of the genus Ketupa comprises of three species, all occurring within Indian limits. They are large and powerful birds, with the tarsus partly
or wholly naked and granular, much like that of the Osprey, and the soles of the feet covered with prickly scales. The claws are large, well curved, each with a sharp cutting-edge beneath, and the middle claw with a sharp keel on the inside also. Aigrettes are present, long and pointed. The bill is large and strong. The facial disk is ill-marked, especially above. The wings are rounded, and do not reach the end of the tail, 4th quill generally the longest, 3rd and 5th subequal ; tail moderate.
Physical charateristics
A large heavily dark-streaked, rich orange-rufous owl. Usually shows a white throat patch and distinct white eyebrows. Tarsi partly covered and ear tufts often very bushy. It is distinguished from its cousin, the commoner Brown Fish Owl, by its larger size, its more orange upperparts and bolder black streaking.
| wingspan min.: | 0 | cm | wingspan max.: | 0 | cm |
| size min.: | 48 | cm | size max.: | 55 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 0 | days | incubation max.: | 0 | days |
| fledging min.: | 0 | days | fledging max.: | 0 | days |
| broods: | 0 | eggs min.: | 1 | ||
| eggs max.: | 3 |
Range
Oriental Region : Himalayas to Southeast Asia
Habitat
The owls usually live in mountains at altitudes of 50m to 2,400m and tend to remain close to the upper reaches of rivers
Reproduction
It lays its eggs in old raptor nests high up or in hollows in river banks. Clutch size is 2 eggs.
Feeding habits
It eats fish, crabs, shrimps, frogs, toads, lizards, snakes, and small mammals such as moles, and particularly rodents like mice, voles and rats. It also prey on birds like Mandarin duck in Taiwan
Video Tawny Fish Owl
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeCG8FiW6Bw
copyright: Pieter de Groot Boersma
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Migration
Presumed sedentary
Distribution map
