Large bentwing bat
Northern Australia from the Kimberly through to the western Gulf of Carpentaria and Eastern Australia from Cape York Peninsula to the south east corner of South Australia. This species can also be found in southern Europe, to southern Africa, to South East Asia and across to Japan, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
Description The fur on the back is dark reddish-brown to dark brown on the back and slightly lighter on the belly. This species has a short muzzle and a domed head with short, rounded, roughly triangular ears. The last phalanx on the 3rd finger is 4 times the length of the middle phalanx; this gives the appearance of a bent wing. Photo: L. Lumsden in Churchill (1998).
This species uses a broad range of habitats including rainforest, wet and dry sclerophyll forest, open woodland and grassland and paperbark forests. They are a cave dwelling bat but will also roost in mines, road culverts and storm water drains. In southern Australia this species hibernates during the winter, while in the ‘tropical’ winter, they remain active and continue foraging.
Diet and Foraging This species usually eats moths and in the north will also feed on grasshoppers. Depending on the habitat, they can forage from 6 m above the ground to many metres above the canopy. Flight speed is approximately 50 km/hr. Photo: B. G. Thomson in Dwyer (1983).
In temperate regions, mating occurs during May and June however implantation is delayed until August. The birth of a single young occurs in December and January. Young can fly at 7 weeks and are weaned by10 weeks. In tropical areas, mating occurs in September and implantation is not delayed; births occur in December. Sexual maturity is achieved by the second year in both male and female bats.
Source: Queensland Department of Primary Industries.
Author: C. de Jong & C. Smith.
Churchill, S. (1998) Australian Bats, Reed New Holland, Sydney, pp. 146-147.
Dwyer, P. D. (1983) Common bentwing bat. In R. Strahan (ed.). The Mammals of Australia, Reed Books, Chatswood, pp. 336-337.