Brown Fish Owl

Ketupa zeylonensis (Gmelin, JF, 1788)

Strigidae — Owls

Brown Fish Owl, Ketupa zeylonensis, is an owl of the Oriental Region and the Palearctic, ranging from the Middle East to south-east Asia. It belongs to the family Strigidae and was described by Gmelin in 1788. It is found in forests and wooded wetlands. Among the living fish owls, it has the broadest range and is the one most often encountered and most thoroughly known. Its recognised subspecies include forms from south-east Turkey and the Middle East to north-west India, India to west Thailand, Sri Lanka, and north-east Myanmar to south-east China, Indochina and the Malay Peninsula.

Order
Strigiformes
Family
Strigidae — Owls
Breeding range
Oriental Region, Palearctic: Middle East to se Asia
Brown Fish Owl
© Fabian Roudra Baroi · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

8 tours in India 3, Thailand 3, Turkey 2

Southern India Birding and Wildlife Photography Expedition
Southern India Birding and Wildlife Photography Expedition
India / Bengaluru Group tour 16 days

A 16-day small-group route through Southern India for Western Ghats birds, forest wildlife and hands-on photography mentoring with Yogesh Bh...

From INR 640,000 Next: Mar 12, 2027
Northern India Birding Tour: Tigers, Birds and the Himalayas
Northern India Birding Tour: Tigers, Birds and the Himalayas
India / New Delhi Group tour 17 days

A 17-day northern India expedition combining wetland and Himalayan birding with Ranthambhore and Corbett wildlife safaris, the Chambal River...

From USD 9,565 Next: Jan 21, 2027
Brown Fish Owl Night Tour near Manavgat
Brown Fish Owl Night Tour near Manavgat
Turkey / Side Private tour

A carefully managed private night outing from Side to observe Brown Fish Owl habitat near Manavgat under official local permits....

From EUR 110
9-Day Turkey Birding: Brown Fish Owl, Aladaglar and Sultan Marsh
9-Day Turkey Birding: Brown Fish Owl, Aladaglar and Sultan Marsh
Turkey / Antalya Custom tour 9 days

Search for Brown Fish Owl at Oymapinar and Caspian Snowcock in Aladaglar, linking Mediterranean wetlands with Sultan Marsh and the scrubland...

16-Day North India Birding: Wetlands, Corbett and Himalayan Foothills
16-Day North India Birding: Wetlands, Corbett and Himalayan Foothills
India / Delhi Private tour 16 days

A customizable 16-day North India birding circuit through Ranthambore, Bharatpur, Corbett, Kotabagh and Nainital, from wetlands to Himalayan...

Khao Sok Bird Watching by Canoeing 3 Days
Khao Sok Bird Watching by Canoeing 3 Days
Thailand / Khao Sok Group tour 3 days

Khao Sok Bird Watching by Canoeing – 3 Days / 2 Nights is a unique wildlife adventure combining birdwatching with serene canoe exploration...

Kaeng Krachan Bird Watching Day Trip
Kaeng Krachan Bird Watching Day Trip
Thailand / Kaeng Krachan Group tour 1 day

A full day from Bangkok follows Kaeng Krachan’s forest road from the higher ground at Phanern Thung to lower stops for pittas and broadbil...

Khao Sok Bird Watching Day Trip
Khao Sok Bird Watching Day Trip
Thailand / Khao Sok Private tour 1 day

Escape into one of Thailand’s most spectacular rainforests on this Khao Sok Bird Watching Day Trip. Just a few hours from Phuket and Khao ...