Fraser's Eagle Owl

This owl was originally part of the genus Bubo, with the Horned Owls and the Eagle Owls. Genetic testing in 2020-2021 showed these owls are more closely related to the fish owls than the typical eagle owls in Bubo, so 9 owls were moved from Bubo to genus Ketupa.

That makes this owl a cousin to our recent friend, the Buffy Fish Owl. The Blakiston's Fish Owl, which should probably be called an eagle owl, is currently in taxonomy limbo, as it seems closely related to both the Eurasian Eagle Owl and the Brown Fish Owl. Some are positioning the Blakiston's Fish Owl as an intermediate evolution between the eagle owls and fish owls. But all this is an ongoing bird nerd debate right now.

Not too much info on the Fraser's Eagle Owl out there. Seems to eat a wide variety of food: mice, squirrels, birds, frogs, reptiles , insects, arthropods, and bats.

It roosts very high up, 130ft/40m off the ground.

Title photo from Wikipedia for clarity, comment photos all by Dubai Shapiro .