One of the 10 owls on WAnimals
Birds · Strigiformes · Strigidae
Blakiston's Eagle-owl
Bubo blakistoni
It faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. See full glossary
Blakiston's fish owl, or the Manchurian fish owl, is considered by some scientists to be the largest owl species in the world, at up to 72 centimetres in length and with a wingspan of up to 2 metres, rivalling the Eurasian eagle-owl. The species was originally placed in the genus Ketupa, which covers the fish owls, but DNA results are unclear as to which of the two genera would be the more appropriate for it. Its habitat is riverine forest, with large old trees in which to nest, near rivers, lakes and springs that do not freeze in winter. Henry Seebohm named the bird after the English naturalist Thomas Blakiston, who collected the original specimen at Hakodate on Hokkaido, Japan, in 1883.
Weight
2.9 kg – 4.6 kg
Size
60 cm – 72 cm
Lifespan
25 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Estimated population
Between 1,000 and 1,900 individuals
Fun facts
- It is the largest owl on the planet: the females exceed four kilos and their wingspan is over two metres.
- Unlike almost all owls, its feathers lack the serrated edge that damps sound: since it hunts fish underwater rather than sharp-eared prey, silent flight gains it nothing and its wingbeats are clearly audible.
- It is a sacred bird for the Ainu people of Hokkaido, who regard it as the god that protects the village.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Mature riverine forest beside rivers that do not freeze over, in the Russian Far East and Japan
- Sexual maturity
- 3 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 35 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 2 eggs
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubo_blakistoni
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Blakiston's Eagle-owl — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Northern Hawk-Owl
Surnia ulula
Great Grey Owl
Strix nebulosa
Oriental Stork
Ciconia boyciana
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Long-eared Owl
Asio otus
Brown Fish-Owl
Ketupa zeylonensis
How to help
The blakiston's eagle-owl is classified as endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 4 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about blakiston's eagle-owl.
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