Buffy Fish Owl
About the Buffy Fish Owl in Singapore
Last updated 29 May 2026
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The Buffy Fish Owl (Ketupa ketupu) is a large, impressive nocturnal predator and one of the most common owls in Singapore. They are resident birds closely associated with mangroves, forested streams, and reservoir edges.
Identifying features
Check out some identifying features of the Buffy Fish Owl!
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You can easily identify the Buffy Fish Owl by its warm "buffy" brown feathers heavily marked with thick, dark vertical streaks down its chest, which perfectly complement its bright, striking yellow eyes. Its most famous feature, however, is the pair of prominent, outward-pointing ear tufts on top of its head. While they look like ears, these tufts are actually just feathers used to communicate with other owls and to camouflage their silhouette against tree branches while they sleep during the day.
Interested to learn more about how to identify Garden Birds? Check out our simple guide on identifying Garden Birds!
Habitat and ecology
They wait on low branches over the water at night, swooping down to snatch fish, crabs, frogs, and even rats from muddy banks. Their bare, featherless legs are specially adapted with spiky scales on the bottom of their feet to help grip slippery, thrashing fish.
Did you know?
Unlike most other owls, the Buffy Fish Owl does not have completely silent flight! Because they hunt over noisy, splashing water rather than trying to hunt for noise-sensitive prey in a quiet forest, they never needed to evolve the specialized, sound-muffling feathers that other owls have.
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Learn more about the Buffy Fish Owl!
Curious about the Buffy Fish Owl? Here are some interesting articles you can read to learn more about them.
