Buffy Fish Owl

 
This large and powerful bird, easily identified by its ear tufts and large yellow eyes, is found in mangroves, freshwater swamps, woodlots, open areas, and gardens, in southern China, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Buffy Fish Owls rely on the old tree holes or nests of other birds for their homes. Females lay one or two eggs in the nest, and they hatch about a month later. The baby owlets will stay in the nest, protected by their mother, for another 45 days, until their flight wings come in.

Buffys rest during the day and go out to hunt at dusk, using their excellent vision to help them find prey such as fish and frogs, from nearby wetlands. They are also known to eat bats and other birds. Large, curved claws, with sharp cutting edges, are used to catch prey and hold it while they fly back to their nests. Their large, strong bill is used to tear food apart.

Like all owls, Buffy can’t move its eyes and must turn its head to see around it. It grows to about 15 inches long. Although Buffy Fish Owls are not currently under any danger to their population size, they rely on wetlands for food, which are being affected by habitat destruction and pollution. They have few predators but are occasionally hunted by other birds of prey.