Our dinner at the hotel was interrupted by news that the owl had come in to the feeding area. We raced to the viewing area and joined a mob of visitors and birding tours enjoying the owl's visit. Photographed through hotel glass at night with illumination by flood lights, this is the largest owl in the world. It is listed as endangered by IUCN based on its small population size, with the population in Japan estimated to be just 35 pairs. Logging and conversion of riparian habitat for agriculture are the main threats. Two to four subspecies are usually recognized with the population in Japan assigned to nominate K. b. blakistoni characterized by slightly smaller size and reduced white forehead patch cf. mainland birds. Now often placed in the genus Bubo based on skull morphology. This individual appears to have been banded. Canon PowerShot SX60
References:
BirdLife International 2016. Bubo blakistoni. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22689007A93214159. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22689007A93214159.en. Downloaded on 24 May 2019.
Holt, D.W., Berkley, R., Deppe, C., Enríquez Rocha, P., Petersen, J.L., Rangel Salazar, J.L., Segars, K.P., Wood, K.L., Sharpe, C.J. & Marks, J.S. (2019). Blakiston's Eagle-owl (Bubo blakistoni). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/55023 on 20 May 2019).
Wikipedia contributors. (2019, April 29). Blakiston's fish owl. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:19, May 20, 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blakiston%27s_fish_owl&oldid=894779709