Adult Owl:
Generally resembles Ketupa ketupu (the Buffy Fish Owl), but with a more brownish-chestnut dorsal plumage. The central streaks on the feathers are wider, and the tips of the feathers have a chestnut-colored margin. The ventral plumage is dark chestnut, with broader and more numerous dark streaks. The white spot on the throat is usually larger.
The eyes are yellow. The beak is grey-black, sometimes with a pale yellow tip. The skin at the base of the beak is dull green. The legs are pale yellow-grey. Feathers cover approximately two-thirds of the front and side of the legs; the back of the legs is only feathered on the upper one-third.
Measurements:
- Wing: 410 – 455 mm
- Tail: 215 – 227 mm
- Tarsus: 50 – 67 mm
- Beak: 48 – 50 mm
Distribution:
The Brown Fish Owl (Ketupa zeylonensis) is found in the Himalayas, Northern Myanmar, Thailand, Southern China, Laos, and Vietnam.
In Vietnam, the Brown Fish Owl has been recorded in Bắc Cạn Province, Cao Bằng Province (Bảo Lạc and Trùng Khánh), Lai Châu Province, and Southern Vietnam.