Brown Fish Owl
Singapore Quarry

03 Aug 2019

Historical record: This record was not submitted by observers. It was compiled and made available here as part of the Bird Society of Singapore's effort to make historical records more easily accessible. Click here to read more about this initiative.

General details

Species	Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonensis
Record ID	1035
Date	03 Aug 2019
Location	Singapore Quarry
Count	1 individual
Related records	1040, 10261
Date added	25 Oct 2021

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Committee's view

Background
The Singapore Bird Records Committee agreed that the identification was not in doubt. However on balance we voted on a conservative stance that it was likely to be an escapee, at least until evidence of undetected southern Malaysian populations are discovered. The points below are summarised from the voting rationales of all three related records (as of 9 August 2023). The Committee also agreed that this species, wild having a possibility of being in trade (though being a point which applies to virtually all birds), is not conclusively known in the local trade scene either. Points for wild visitor: While there is no evidence that the species is spreading south along Peninsula Malaysia, it is a nocturnal species that could be easily overlooked. Points for escapee: This species is not found in southern Malaysia and as of current knowledge is a sedentary species with no documentation of vagrancy. There are records from Seychelles, but with debated origin (Skerett & Seychelles Bird Records Committee, 2001). Even in northern Malaysia, it is not a common bird.

Background

The Singapore Bird Records Committee agreed that the identification was not in doubt. However on balance we voted on a conservative stance that it was likely to be an escapee, at least until evidence of undetected southern Malaysian populations are discovered. The points below are summarised from the voting rationales of all three related records (as of 9 August 2023).

The Committee also agreed that this species, wild having a possibility of being in trade (though being a point which applies to virtually all birds), is not conclusively known in the local trade scene either.

Points for wild visitor:
While there is no evidence that the species is spreading south along Peninsula Malaysia, it is a nocturnal species that could be easily overlooked.

Points for escapee:
This species is not found in southern Malaysia and as of current knowledge is a sedentary species with no documentation of vagrancy. There are records from Seychelles, but with debated origin (Skerett & Seychelles Bird Records Committee, 2001). Even in northern Malaysia, it is not a common bird.

Verdict	Accepted / Escapee (Verifiable)

References (see all)

References	Facebook; NSS; Skerrett & Seychelles Bird Records Committee, 2001

Revisions to this record

Date revised	Changes made
09 Aug 2023	Background updated for rationale behind voting results.

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