The Blakiston's Fish Owl, Bubo blakistoni, is an owl. This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The other grouping is the barn owls, Tytonidae. The Blakiston's Fish Owl and two related species were previously placed in the genus Ketupa, but DNA studies indicate that the fish owls are just specialised horned owls. Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Myxozoa (slime animals) Superphylum Deuterostomia (blastopore becomes anus) Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Many - see section below. ... For uses of the word Owl as a three letter acronym, see OWL. Families Strigidae Tytonidae An owl is any of some 200+ species of solitary nocturnal birds of prey in the order Strigiformes. ... Genera Aegolius: saw-whet owls Asio: eared owls Athene Bubo: horned owls Ciccaba Glaucidium: pygmy owls Jubula Ketupa Lophostrix Micrathene: elf owls Mimizuku Nesasio Ninox Otus: scops owls Pseudoscops Pulsatrix Pyrroglaux: palau owls Sceloglaux Scotopelia Speotyto Strix: earless owls Surnia: hawk owls Uroglaux Xenoglaux Typical owls (family Strigidae) are one... Species 17, see text The horned owls are a genus (Bubo) of 17 species of typical owls which are found in many parts of the world. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Henry Seebohm (1832 - November 26, 1895) was an English steel manufacturer, and amateur ornithologist, oologist and traveller. ... Families Strigidae Tytonidae An owl is a member of any of about 220 (222 currently known) species of solitary, mainly nocturnal birds of prey in the order Strigiformes. ... Genera Aegolius: saw-whet owls Asio: eared owls Athene Bubo: horned owls Ciccaba Glaucidium: pygmy owls Jubula Lophostrix Micrathene: elf owls Mimizuku Nesasio Ninox Otus: scops owls Pseudoscops Pulsatrix Pyrroglaux: palau owls Sceloglaux Scotopelia Speotyto Strix: earless owls Surnia: hawk owls Uroglaux Xenoglaux Typical owls (family Strigidae) are one of... Binomial name Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769) Synonyms Strix alba Scopoli, 1769 Lechusa stirtoni Miller, 1956 The Barn Owl (Tyto alba) or, to distinguish it from relatives, Common Barn Owl, is an owl in the barn owl family Tytonidae. ... The general structure of a section of DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions for the biological development of a cellular form of life or a virus. ... Species 17, see text The horned owls are a genus (Bubo) of 17 species of typical owls which are found in many parts of the world. ...

The Blakiston's Fish Owl is a resident breeder in Russia, China, Japan, and possibly North Korea. Its habitat is riparian forest, with large, old trees for nest-sites, near lakes, rivers, springs and shoals which don't freeze in winter.

It feeds on a variety of aquatic prey, including fish and amphibians, but also takes mammals and birds.

The Blakiston's Fish Owl is a massive (60-72cm) owl. The upperparts are buff- brown and heavily streaked. The underparts are pale buffish-brown. The throat is white. The iris is orange-yellow, and it has long, broad, horizontal ear-tufts. Sexes are similar, with females notably larger. The call varies by subspecies; in some places the call is a short, deep boo-bo-voo or a shoo-boo.

This bird is endangered due to the widespread loss of riverine forest, increasing development along rivers and dam construction. The current population in Japan is approximately 100 birds (20 breeding pairs and unpaired individuals), whereas on mainland Asia the population is much higher, perhaps several thousand individuals.

Henry Seebohm named this bird after the English naturalist Thomas Blakiston, who collected the original specimen in Hakodate on Hokkaido, Japan in 1883. Thomas Wright Blakiston Thomas Wright Blakiston (born Lymington October 15 1832, died 1891) was an English explorer and naturalist. ... View of Hakodate from Mountain Hakodate (函館市; -shi) is a city and port located in Oshima, Hokkaido, Japan. ... For the dog breed, see Hokkaido (dog). ...

Reference

• BirdLife Species Factsheet

External links

• Current Blakiston's Fish Owl Research
• ARKive - images and movies of the Blakiston's fish owl (Ketupa blakistoni)