Ketupa+ketupu

(Adapted from photo by: Annie Irving Permission granted) || toc **Common Names**: Buffy Fish Owl; Malay Fishing Owl; Malaysian Fish Owl; Java Fish Owl
 * [[image:ketupu header edit.jpg width="818" height="363"]] ||
 * = //Ketupa ketupu // (Horsefield, 1821)

**Synonyms**: Bubo ketupu (Christidis and Boles, 2008)

The name //ketupu// as in its Latin bionomial name, could have been derived from its old Javanese name, //kutupu-kutupuk//, which was also based on the owl's calls. 1]
 * Etymology **

 Buffy Fish Owl, one of the more common names of the Ketupa ketupu, is so named because of the buffy colouration of its body in relation to the other Fish Owls, being a more yellow-beige colour than the other 4 species. It is also sometimes referred to as Java/Malay/Malaysian Fish Owl, in reference to the localities it is found in, more common in the Indonesian island of Java and in the Malay Peninsula.

= Taxonomy & Systematics =

Original description
The original description of this species has been recognised to be by Thomas Horsfield in 1821, in the publication Transactions of the Linnean Society of London under the section XIV Systematic Arrangement and Description of Birds from the Island of Java. 2]


 * [[image:ketupu description.png width="437" height="227"]] || Species 8. //Strix Ketupu//

S. rusty, above various perfusca, under black-lined, oar-brown tiles [retricibusque ochroleuco] bundled, eared head. BLO-//ketupu// Javanese

Length 21 [poll]

//Rostrum// (beak) high/extended (the more, the product of this kind to others) to lower jaw baseline, beyond the middle of the arch, apex of jaw on both sides. //Wax// great. //Nose// narrow. //Wings// little tail. //Feather//: 1. short 2. gradual 3. abruptly growing 4, 5, 6 are longer. //Feet// elongate. //Tarsi// (ankle) naked, reticulated. //Toes// strong || (using Google Translate and wikitionary) ||
 * = Original description of //Ketupa ketupu// (in Latin) ||= English translation

Type Specimen
Type specimen is located in British Museum (Natural History) 3]

Changes in Genus
Though originally identified to be part of the // Strix // genus by Horsfield, this species was later relegated to the //Ketupa// genus instead by Lesson (1830), together with 3 other Fish Owl species found in Asia, // K. blakistoni, K. flavipes // and // K. zeylonensis, // consisting 4 species in total, based on their distribution and their specialised adaptations to hunting of fish and other aquatic organisms.

However, there have been attempts to revise the status of //Ketupa// as a genus using phylogenetics, suggesting that they should be under the genus //Bubo// instead. A phylogenetic study of Owl species using the DNA-sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene has been done by Wink & Heidrich (1999) 4], this showed the close relation of the //Ketupa// genus to three other //Bubo// species //B. lacteus, B. nipalensis// and //B. sumatrana,// with a distance of 10.2% between //zeylonensis// and //nipalensis// and 9.2% between //zeylonensis// and //sumatrana// 5]. A further study using nuclear marker LDHb intron DNA, further corroborated with the findings of the first study (Wink, Sauer-Gürth & Fuchs, 2004) 6]. The following phylogenetic tree is the latest findings found in König et. al (2008) 7], based on the combined dataset of mitochondrial cytochrome-b (Will & Heidrich, 1999) 4] and the RAG-1 sequences, to show that //ketupu//, together with //zeylonensis// are nested in the Bubo genus.

These phylogenetic studies have shown that the genus of the // Ketupa ketupu // should be changed to //Bubo ketupu// and the change has been prominent in many online databases. However, this change has been relatively recent, thus this website chooses to retain the name // Ketupa ketupu // as the name //Ketupa ketupu// has been in use for a longer period of time and there would be more information recorded under this name as opposed to //Bubo ketupu.// As with most other databases which has chosen to retain //Ketupa ketupu// as the main name for the record, this site lists //Bubo ketupu// as the synonym for this species.
 * [[image:ketupu phylo.jpg width="540" height="549"]] ||
 * Maximum likelihood bootstrap phylogram based on a combined dataset of cytochrome-b and RAG-1 sequences; showing //Ketupa ketupu// nested in the //Bubo// genus. (König et al, 2008) ||

**Subspecies**
Four subspecies of //Ketupa ketupu// have been listed in König et al (1999) 8], mainly differentiating in their localities (Horsfield, 1821) || Malay Peninsula, Riau Archipelago, Sumatra, Bangka. Belitung, Java, Bali, Borneo (except portion occupied by //K. k. pageli//) || Sim to nominate ketupu from Java, but much paler, esp below (wing 315-345mm) || (Neumann, 1936) || Eastern coast of Sarawak, N Borneo Sim to nominate ketupu from Java, but far more reddish/brick-red. (wing 310-333mm) || (Büttikofer, 1896) || Syn: buettikoferi Confined to Island of Nias. Off west coast of Sumatra. Smaller race. (Wing 295-300mm) || However, there are different opinions about subspecies i.e. ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information Systems) only lists //K. k. ketupu// and //K. k. minor// as the 'direct children' of //Ketupa ketupu//.
 * //K. k. ketupu //
 * //K. k. aagaardi// (Neumann, 1935) || S Burma, South, East and peninsular Thailand and Annam.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">//K. k. pageli//
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">//K. k. minor//

= ** Description ** = For the general anatomy of owls, click [|here] Descriptions are summarised from (König et. al, 1999) 8] with additional information from owlpages.com 9]

**Measurements**
Length: 40-48cm. Wing length: 295-390mm. Tail length: 160-181mm. Weight: 1028-2100g.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"> **Anatomy**
Cere greyish-white, tip pale yellowish horn ||
 * Face || Facial disc: || Ill-defined ||
 * ^  || ** Ear tufts: ** || ** Distinct sideward directed (45 degree angle) ** ||
 * ^  || ** Eyebrows: ** || ** White ** ||
 * ^  || ** Eyes: ** || ** Iris, bright yellow. Eyelids black ** ||
 * ^  || Bill: || Black or greyish-black.
 * Feathered body parts || Upper parts: || Rich brown ||
 * ^  || Head, neck: || Same as upperparts, feathers without white tips ||
 * ^  || Back, mantle: || Blackish-brown, broadly margined with buff and with pale rufous or whitish spots near the tips ||
 * ^  || Wings, tail: || Broadly barred yellowish and dark brown ||
 * ^  || Scapular: || Outer webs fulvous, does not form pale row across the shoulder ||
 * ^  || Wing coverts: || same as the back, much larger pale spots. ||
 * ^  || Primaries, secondaries: || Dark brown, banded with whitish or fulvous. ||
 * ^  || Tail || Dark brown, whitish tips and 3 or 4 buffish-white bars. ||
 * ^  || Underparts: || Yellowish-brown, rich buff or fulvous ||
 * ^  || Flanks: || Unstreaked ||
 * Legs || Tibia: || Unstreaked ||
 * ^  || Tarsi: || Long, relatively unfeathered, yellowish grey ||
 * ^  || Toes: || Greyish or pale brown, lighter soles ||
 * ^  || Claws: || Darker to blackish-brown ||

(Adapted from photo by: [|Mark Wood] © within Fair Use) ||= **Full profile of Ketupa ketupu adult** (Adapted from photo by:[|John Caddick]© Permission granted) ||
 * [[image:ketupu face.jpg width="317" height="393"]] || [[image:ketupu whole.jpg width="414" height="409"]] ||
 * = **Distinguishing features of Ketupa ketupu adult**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">**Adult and** juvenile
Feathers broadly margined with rufous Pale rufous or whitish spots near tips || More rufous than in adults, Narrowly streaked with blackish-brown, Less spotted with white (or lacking white altogether) || Narrow dark brown shaft-streaks, Narrower and sparser on the belly and undertail-coverts. || Very narrowly streaked dark brown and faintly barred whitish. ||
 * || Adult || Juvenile ||
 * Upper parts || Blackish-brown;
 * Retrices || Dark brown with whitish tips || With 5-6 irregular narrow whitish bands ||
 * Under parts || Rufous-buff or fulvous

(Adapted from photo by:[|John Caddick]© Permission granted) ||= Features of //Ketupa ketupu// juvenile (Adapted from photo by: [|Chan Yoke Meng]© within Fair Use ||
 * [[image:ketupu adult.jpg width="421" height="322"]] || [[image:ketupu juve.jpg width="420" height="322"]] ||
 * = Features of //Ketupa ketupu// adult

**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">Diagnosis **
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.5;"> **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">Similar Species ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Fish-owls, or fishing owls, are generally considered to be in two genera //Ketupu// and //Scotopelia//. The genus //Ketupa// only consist of 4 species distributed over most of Asia, in contrast to the //Scotopelia// consisting of 3 species found in Africa. [10] //Scotopelia// (African Fish Owls) are also large and powerful. However, //Scotopelia// lack ear tufts, loose feathering on their heads which gives them a characteristic shaggy, maned look. 10] (Photo by: Kaustav Banerjee Permission granted) || //Bubo bubo//; fully feathered legs. (Photo by: CC BY-SA 3.0) || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> The Fish Owls of //Ketupa// bears close physical similarity to the genus //Bubo// (Eagle Owls) in terms of having similar prominent ear tufts, colour, size and and heavy build. However, they differ from //Bubo// in three main aspects in relation to their specialization of their diet on fish (Adaptations for hunting) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> (1) Feet; devoid of feathers <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> (2) Face: less prominent facial disc <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> (3) Loss of soft fringes in rear edges of wings
 * [[image:Scotopelia.jpg width="213" height="284" align="center"]] || [[image:ketupu compare.jpg width="366" height="283"]] || [[image:Bubo_bubo_(Uhu)_2009.jpg width="228" height="292"]] ||
 * //Scotopelia peli//; lack of ear tufts. (Photo by: [|Derek Keats] CC BY-SA 2.0) ||= Ketupa ketupu ; presence of ear tufts, lack of feathers on legs.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> //Ketupa sp.// are generally distinct in their geographical distribution, however there are certain sympatric areas in which the geographical range overlaps. //Ketupa ketupu// is sympatric with only two of the //Ketupa// species, //K. zeylonensis// and //K. falvipes//.

(Photo by: CC BY-SA 2.0) ||= **Tawny Fish Owl (//Ketupa flavipes//)** (Photo by: CC BY 3.0) || Larger in size. || Rufous of underparts much richer, almost orange-rufous. Tail more narrowly barred. Face more whitish. Tarsi feathered to more than halfway down front. || **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Voice ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">A repertoire of long drawn out shrill and wheezy notes. Hissing sounds and a rattling kutook, kutook, kutook, kutook, kutook, kutook... other vocalisations include a ringing pof-pof-pof-… and high hie-ee-ee-eek-keek notes, a musical to-whee to-whee. Also a soft monotonous and rapid pup-pup-pup-pup-pup..., utterered by a displaying pair. 8,9,11] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">The female has a slightly higher voice than the male. 8]
 * [[image:zeylone.jpg width="438" height="546"]] || [[image:flavipes.jpg width="355" height="551"]] ||
 * = **Brown Fish Owl (//Ketupa zeylonensis//)**
 * Some horizontal barring on underparts, as well as streaks.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">The voice of the Buffy Fish Owl is probably the most recognizable of the four Ketupa species, being higher pitched and more musical than the other three species. 10]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">Other recordings available at xeno-canto.org
 * **Buffy Fish Owl (Ketupa ketupu)** ||  ||
 * media type="custom" key="26837204" ||
 * **Tawny Fish Owl (//Ketupa// //flavipes//)** || **Brown Fish Owl (Ketupa zeylonensis)** ||
 * media type="custom" key="26894020" || media type="custom" key="26837236" ||

= ** Biology ** =

Habitat
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">Usually waterside trees with dense foliage. 10] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Prefers middle storey or tall trees along sluggish streams and meandering rivers through the forest or woodland, of which mango trees have been observed to be popular in the tropical areas. 10] Have been observed to be perching on the roofs of houses in rural settlements as well. 11] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Also found at a wider range of habitats near water, including mangrove swamps, beach forests, freshwater swamps or even clusters of trees nearby human-created water bodies like rice fields, fish-ponds and reservoirs and sometimes wooded sub-urban gardens 10,11]

Active Hours
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Owls are nocturnal predators, active during the night and roosting in the day, in contrast to the diurnal birds of prey. Fish Owls emerge from their roosts in late afternoon on occasion, and thus they are sometimes regarded as semi-diurnal. However, they rarely hunt during those occasions, rather, they would only hunt after dusk, as with all other species that are considered thoroughly nocturnal. 10] Frequently seen flying low at dusk. 11]

Roosting
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Strongly territorial, tends to be evenly spaced out in the habitat. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Perches singly most of the time. Can be found in a pair on the same tree, but pairs are mostly observed to be roosting in separate trees within proximate radius of each other. 10] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Usually perches with one foot on the branch and the other hidden among the body feathers. Its eyes are not necessarily closed throughout the day, it can also be half-opened or opened during roosting. Easily disturbed, often already wide awake before observer locates it. In the presence of noisy trekkers, it would become tense, with eyes wide-open and ears erect together with all the feathers around. 8,12]

Feeding
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> **Diet** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Feeds mainly on fish, frogs, crustaceans, reptiles (lizards) and insects. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Also: Small mammals (rats, mice); Small birds; Large insects (beetles) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Occasionally: Bats, carrion or carcass (reported feeding on a dead crocodile and remains of a badger //Mydaus javanensis// in Java) 8,11]

(Photo by: Peter Ericsson © within Fair Use) ||= A pair of Ketupa ketupu; one of them with rat in mouth (Photo by: Jayanth Sharma © Permission pending) || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">**Hunting** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> They often descend to the ground, and perch at the water’s edge or from a tree on a wooded bank. They would watch and wait for their prey to swim within striking distance, then swoop in and snatch their prey from the water’s surface with their claws, unlike the bodily plunging into the water body as in the manner of an osprey. They might also wade in shallow streams, often incidentally during bathing, occasionally they would snatch crabs, frogs, fish, aquatic insects from the water. 8,9,10]
 * [[image:ketupu insect.jpg width="327" height="303"]] || [[image:ketupu rat.jpg width="432" height="295"]] ||
 * = Ketupa ketupu with insect in mouth

(Photo by: SC Lim © Permission granted) || //Ketupa ketupu// poised, possibly preparing to swoop in for the kill (Photo by: SC Lim © Permission granted) || (Photo by: digdeep© within Fair Use) || //Ketupa ketupu// swooping in to get its prey (Photo by: digdeep© within Fair Use) || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">**Adaptations for hunting** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Their feet are specialised to increase effectiveness of aquatic prey capture in three ways. 10] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> (1) Lack of feathers on tarsi: Feathered legs would have been drenched and waterlogged with frequent plunging into the water for prey capture, thus the lack of feathers would optimize the capture of prey in Fish Owls. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> (2) Underside of toes covered in numerous sharp edged and spiky scales: Enables them to have a good grip on the slippery and wet fish and other aquatic prey. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> (3) Claws are long and curved with a sharp, lower cutting edge: Similarly gives the Fish Owl a stronger grip on its prey after capture. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> owl species, that enables silent flight in owls during hunting. Presumably, this could be due to their prey being not so able to pick up airborne sounds, hence little need to conceal its presence as it swoops in to capture its prey.
 * [[image:ketupu shallows.jpg width="379" height="258"]] || [[image:ketupu pose.jpg width="383" height="252"]] ||
 * = //Ketupa ketupu// in shallows; bathing or possibly feeding
 * [[image:ketupu perching.jpg width="346" height="275" align="center"]] || [[image:ketupu flying.jpg width="409" height="276"]] ||
 * //Ketupa ketupu// perching low, near the water

(Photo by: Peter Wu Permission granted) ||  || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">The soft fringes found long the rear edge of the wing feathers in other owl species, that enables silent flight in owls during hunting are also lost in the Fish Owls. Presumably, this could be due to their prey being not so able to pick up airborne sounds, hence little need to conceal its presence as it swoops in to capture its prey. 10]
 * [[image:ketupu fish 1.jpg width="448" height="259" align="right"]] ||  ||
 * = //Ketupa ketupu// with fish in claws, apparent lack of feathers on legs

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> They also have a less prominent facial disc, presumably because a heightened sense of hearing is relatively unimportant for the location of their prey, which are in a different medium. 10]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> **Pellets** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Though pellets have been commonly observed for most nocturnal and diurnal birds of prey, this species Ketupa ketupu, does not seem to produce firm pellets or pellets of any real consistency. Instead, the undigested material such as bones, frog and insect remains are ejected in pieces and falls to the ground below the roost. Food remains never found beneath a nesting site, only in the nest. 8]

= ** Life History ** =

Breeding
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Mainly during February to April, varies between different localities. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> West Java: less commonly in May to July <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Malay Peninsula: less commonly in April and September to January. 8]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Both sexes are particularly noisy before breeding, and pairs participate in duet which may continue for many minutes. [9] Vocalisations usually start one month before the nesting period. 13] The male uses calls and songs to attract the female or the renew the pair-bond with its mate. Courtship feeding possibly occurs too. 13]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Females are always larger than males. (For more hypotheses on why, click here )

Nest
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Does not build its own nest, instead scratches out a small depression in the centre of a bird’s-nest fern, or a humid-rich debris of decayed leaves. No special structure or lining. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Frequently nests on top of bird’s-nest ferns (//Asplenium nidus//). <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Also, in a thick bough covered by ferns, moss and orchids or tree hollows <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Sometimes in old nests of raptors (e.g. Brahminy Kite //Haliaster indus//) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> May resort to caves in rocky sites i.e. waterfalls, but rarely. 8,9]

(Photo by: [|Terence Ang] within Fair Use) ||= Birds' Nest Fern commonly used in nesting of Ketupa ketupu (Photo by: CC BY SA-3.0) ||=   ||
 * [[image:ketupu nest Buffy Fish Owl DSCN4077.jpg width="537" height="343" align="right"]] || [[image:Birds_nest_ferns_in_tropical_montane_forest_on_Mt_Manucoco,_Atauro,_30_Dec_2003.jpg width="265" height="344" align="center"]] ||
 * = Ketupa ketupu nesting in a Crested Serpent Eagle nest

Brood
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Usually one, but sometimes two eggs are laid. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Eggs: Broadly oval, dull white or with moderate gloss. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Egg size: 48mm x 52mm, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Incubation period: About 28-29days <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> In the case when two eggs are laid, generally only one chick survives <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Chick will fledge after 6 weeks. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">8,9]

(Photo Source: [|China Daily] Permission pending) ||
 * [[image:ketupu chick.jpg]] ||
 * Buffy Fish Owl (Ketupa ketupu) chick, in Jurong Bird Park Singapore (2008)

Juvenile
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> When faced with a threat like when approached by people or when annoyed, the juvenile has been observed to make a //cup-cup-cup// sound by clapping its beak. The sound might be caused by the clicking of the tongue rather than the the bill. This sound would then cause the parent to fly down close to observe what is going on. 14]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Seems to be able to recognise people who do not pose a threat, as observed that the juvenile stopped its beak clapping after the observer stood there without doing anything for four hours. 14]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Has been observed to frequently yawn for long durations, holding its mouth open for 10-15 seconds at times. Presumably not just yawning but to strengthen its ‘jaws’, just as birds usually flap its wings to strengthen them as well as its body. 15]

Mortality
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> They have been known to live for over 30 years in captivity 9]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> Movement
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Resident (not migratory). Exceptionally, vagrants recorded (One specimen Cocos Keeling Is., Indian Ocean, 1050km outside main range). 8]

= ** Distribution ** =

Global
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">**List of countries and areas with record of //Ketupa ketupu//** 8,9,16]
 * media type="custom" key="26873534" ||
 * = Global distribution map of //Ketupa ketupu// as provided on [|IUCNredlist.org] ||

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Bangladesh <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Brunei Darussala <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Cambodia <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Indonesia: Riau Archipelago; Sumatra Island with neighbouring islands on west side (Nias etc.); Bangka, Belitung (east side of Sumatra); Java; Bali <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Lao People’s democratic Republic <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Malaysia: Borneo <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Myanmar: South <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Singapore <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Thailand: South, East <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Vietnam: Trung Phan (south, east); Annam (south, east)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">Singapore
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">**List of areas in Singapore with record of //Ketupa ketupu//** 17,18] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Bukit Timah Nature Reserve: Primary and secondary forests <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Central Catchment Reserve: Primary and secondary forests <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Clementi Woodlands: Secondary forests 19] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Lim Chu Kang <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Pasir Ris: Mangroves 20] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve: Mangroves <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Tuas <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Pulau Ubin: abandoned rubber estates bordering aquaculture ponds
 * media type="custom" key="26874032" ||
 * = Markers showing reported locations of //Ketupa ketupu// in Singapore ||

= Status and Conservation = <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">__IUCN: Least Concern__ 16] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> "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." <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> -From IUCN

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> __CITES: Appendix II__ 21] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> "STRIGIFORMES spp. (Except //Sceloglaux albifacies// and the species included in Appendix I)"

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> "Appendix II shall include: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> (a) all species which although not necessarily now threatened with extinction may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulation in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival; and <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> (b) other species which must be subject to regulation in order that trade in specimens of certain species referred to in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph may be brought under effective control." <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> -From CITES

Anthropogenic threats
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">**Poaching** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> There have been several instances of // Ketupa ketupu // being discovered among the animals that have poached from the wild illegally and sold in the bird trade as pets. It seems that this phenomena is especially prominent in Indonesia, as the keeping birds as pets is widely popular in Indonesia and though illegal, there still persists several bird markets in many of the large cities in Indonesia like Medan in North Sumatra. 22,23]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> **Persecution** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> They might be killed due to their predation on fish and aquatic organisms, if they are seen as threats to human livelihood depending on fish stocks, especially if these //Ketupa ketupu// inhabit and hunt in areas near human constructs such as fish ponds.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> **Poisoning** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;">In highly urbanised areas, there is commonly poisoning of rats to prevent their proliferations. However, this poses a threat to the owls as they include small mammals such as rats in the diets of these owls, and there is a risk of them being poisoned on consumption of these poisoned rats.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> **Loss of Habitat** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5;"> Though they seem to be fairly adaptable, occupying a wide range of wooded and watery habitats 24], in highly urbanised societies like Singapore, where there is increasingly limited areas of wooded habitats for them to inhabit, they might gradually become pushed to extinction.

The Owl Pages: For all kinds of information about owls Oriental Bird Images: For more photographs of //Ketupa ketupu// and other birds The Internet Bird Collection : For more videos, photos and media on the Ketupa ketupu or other birds xenocanto: For more recordings of bird calls Bird Ecology Study Group: For more local information about birds in Singapore
 * External Resources **

[1] Totton, M.-L. (2003). Narrating Animals on the Screen of the World. //The Art Bulletin, 85// (1), 6-24. [2] Horsfield, Thomas (1821). Transactions of the Linnean Society of London (Trans. Linn. Soc. London) (1) 13: p141 [3] Warren R.L.M. (1999). Vol.1 Non-Passerines in Harrison C.J.O, Warren R.L.M. (1999) of //Type-specimens of birds in the British Museum (Natural History)// London: British Museum (Natural History). [4] Wink, M., & Petra, H. (2000). Molecular systematics of Owls (Strigiformes) based on DNA-squences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. In R. Chancellor, & B. Meyburg (Eds.), //Raptors at Risk// (pp. 819-828). Surrey: Hancock House Pub Ltd.
 * References **

[5] Penhallurick, J. M. (2002). //The taxonomy and conservation status of the owls of the world: A review. In I. Newton, R. Kavanagh, J. Olsen, & I. Taylor (Eds.),// Ecology and Conservation of Owls (pp. 343-354). Canberra: CSIRO Publishing. [6] Wink, M., Sauer-Gürth, H. & Fuchs, M. (2004). Phylogenetic relationships in Owls based on nucleotide sequences of mitochondria and nuclear marker genes. In R. Chancellor, & B. Meyburg (Eds.), //Raptors Worldwide// (pp. 517-526). Budapest: WWGWP and MME (Birdlife Hungary). [7] König, C. & Weick, F. (2008). //Owls of the World.// London: A&C Black Publishers Ltd. [8] König, C., Weick, F., & Becking, J.-H. (1999). //Owls: A Guide to the Owls of the World.// New Haven and London: Yale University Press. [9] Lewis, D. (2013, June 19). //Buffy Fish Owl - Bubo ketupu - Information, Pictures, Sounds//. Retrieved November 9, 2014, from The Owl Pages [10] Burton, P., Fogden, M., Ginn, H., Glue, D., Harrison, C., Hekstra, G., et al. (1973). //Owls of the World.// (J. A. Burton, Ed.) New York: E.P. Dutton &Co., Inc. [11] Jeyarajasingam, A. (2012). //A Field Guide to The Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.// New York: Oxford University Press [12] “Portrait of an Owl: Buffy Fish Owl” by Melinda Tan, YC. Bird Ecology Study Group, 11 March 2007. URL: [] (accessed on 9 November 2014). [13] “Buffy Fish-Owl” by Nicole. oiseaux-birds.com. URL: [] (accessed on 9 November 2014). [14] “Buffy Fish Owl Encounters” by Allan Teo. Bird Ecology Study Group, 31 May 2007. URL: [] (accessed on 9 November 2014). [15] “Buffy Fish Owl – The Big Yawn” by Connie Khoo. Bird Ecology Study Group, 1 August 2006. URL: [] (accessed on 9 November 2014). [16] Bird Life International. (2012). //Ketupa ketupu (Buffy Fish-owl, Buffy Fish Owl, Buffy Fish-Owl)//. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species URL: [] (accessed 9 November 2014) [17] Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. (2011, November 15). //Ketupa ketupu//. Retrieved November 9, 2014, from The Digital Nature Archive of Singapore: [] [18] Ho, H. C. (1997, Jan-Mar). Close Encounters with Owls of Singapore. //Nature Watch// //, 5// (1). [19] The Nature Society Singapore. (2011). //The Green Corridor: A Proposal to Keep the Railway Lands as a Continous Green Corridor.// Singapore. [20] “Buffy at Pasir Ris” by Ria Tan. Wild shores of Singapore, 20 April 2013. URL: [|http://wildshores.blogspot.sg/2013/04/buffy-at-pasir-ris.html#.VF9lz0vjsgk] (accessed on 9 November 2014). [21] United Nations Environment Program (1973). //Appendices//. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna URL: http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php (accessed 9 November 2014) [22] Shepherd, C.R. (2006). The bird trade in Meda, north Sumatra: an overview. //Birding Asia,// 16-24)’   [23] Shepherd, C.R. (2012). The owl trade in Jakarta, Indonesia: a spot check on the largest bird markets. //Birding Asia (//58-59)’    [24] del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. & Sargatal, J. eds. (2012). //A Field Guide to The Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.// New York: Oxford University Press