The largest owl in the world, the Blakiston’s Owl Fish, which name was taken from British naturalist Thomas Blakiston, was first documented in 1883. It can grow up to 72 cm long from beak to tail, with a wingspan of up 200 cm. Many of them live in the Far East, on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, and on the Russian islands of Sakhalin and Kuril. It can also be spotted in China’s Manchurian region, as well as along the coast north of the Russian city of Vladivostok.
Unfortunately, the bird suffers an endangered status caused by the destruction of its native habitat by human development. In Japan alone, scientists estimate that only 150 Blakiston’s Fish Owls remain in the country. Russia has the biggest population of Blakiston’s Fish Owl, at an estimated 1,500 birds. Geneticists express concern for the bird’s future, as their small population could result in inbreeding. This, in turn, would make them more vulnerable to hereditary diseases.
Eurasian Eagle Owl
The Eurasian Eagle Owl can actually grow to have a longer body than Blakiston’s Fish Owl, at up to 75 cm long. However, they have smaller wingspans of only up to 188 cm, making them only the second-largest owls in the world. The Eurasian Eagle Owl lives across most of Asia, though they avoid the tropical regions of South and Southeast Asia. They also avoid the cold regions of Siberia and Northern Europe but have since spread into Southern Europe.
The bird’s vast habitat range has allowed its population to grow, with scientists estimating up to a million Eurasian Eagle Owls in the world today. This, in turn, has made the bird a species of least concern for environmentalists.
Great Grey Owl
This fascinating bard has the nickname “Phantom of the North”, based on how its gray plumage makes it almost invisible against the surrounding environment. The bird also has the distinction of the longest owl in the world, able to grow to a length of 84 cm from beak to tail. However, it only has a wingspan of up to 152 cm, much less than that of an Eurasian Eagle Owl.
The Great Grey Owl originally came from Northern Asia, from where it migrated to North America. Today, it mostly lives in Russia and Canada, though the USA has a small population in its northwestern states. While human development of its habitat has impacted the species, the Great Grey Owl has managed to maintain its stable population. This has made it a species of least concern for conservation purposes.