NCRRU - Buffy Fish-Owl

Buffy Fish Owl also know as the Malay Fish Owl is probably one of the easiest owl to observed in Peninsula Malaysia. Is majority of right habitat this species always make their way in the list. The Buffy Fish owl is one of the two fish owl seen in Peninsula Malaysia. This species always stay near water, swampy and also in addition sometimes in stream and river. Occasionally they enter housing area with good large drainage where it can hunt. In one instant, this species was observed in my garden itself. However the Fish Owl is one species of owl where hunt for fish in Malaysia while other such as Fishing Owl does not occur here. One main difference is the ear of the fish owl absent in the fishing owl.

Buffy Fish-Owl
(Photo by Terence Ang)

This species are known to hunt for fish, large insect and in a few occasion this species was observed to hunt for snake. In Kuala Selangor, this species was observed to feed on a krait and in another occasion NCRRU team documented it feeding on an unidentified snake. Typical strategies is still perch. Sometimes they will walk along the edge of the water scouting for fish that surface. This species is known to used tidal zone and hunt during changes of tide especially when tide descending.

Buffy Fish-Owl
(Photo by Terence Ang)

A few nest was observed. Though it is unclear is this species only used other species nest or they do however used cavity, they a however observed taking over a Crested Serpent Eagle nest. In another occasion NCRRU team documented the usage of bird nest fern and successfully bringing up one nestling. This in fact show that this species require more attention and study on the nesting behaviour in the Peninsula Malaysia.

Buffy Fish-Owl
(Photo by Terence Ang)

Four subspecies were recognize with nominate in Peninsula Malaysia and also pageli in north Borneo. Nevertheless specimen collected throughout Peninsular region show a difference in coloration raging from palest to heavier streaking and a slightly differ in size proof there is a need of further research to understand and batter classified the subspecies in Peninsular region.