Blakiston’s fish owl (Ketupa blakistoni)’s wingspan is 178 to 190 cm (5 ft 10 in. to 6 ft 3 in), the largest of any owls.

This owl lives in the forests of East Siberia, and Hokkaido, Japan (see map below). The most aquatic of owls, the Blakinston is always found near rivers, perched patiently on a boulder for hours or wading and hunting in the water. It loves fish, frogs and crustaceans, but, like all owls, still catches small mammals when the opportunity arises.

Blakiston’s fish owl is revered by the Ainu peoples of Hokkaido, Japan, as a Kamuy (Sacred Spirit) called Kotan koru Kamuy (Village Protector).

By Julie Edgley – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76607107

By Tokumi – オリジナル Tokumiが撮影 (initially uploaded on ja:ファイル:Wiki-shimafukurou.jpg), Public Domain,

By Gin tonic aka. TOKUMI – Own work, Copyrighted free use, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37793363

By IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, species assessors and the authors of the spatial data., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83999060