Yellow-bellied Sheathtail Bat

Family: Emballonuridae
Scientific name: Saccolaimus flaviventris

Where they roost:
Hollows in old trees.and sometimes in the abandoned nests of sugar gliders. They usually form small colonies of up to 30.

What they eat:
Flying insects, including beetles. They fly quickly and are not good at twisting and turning when chasing their prey. However they also feed on insects living in open forests and open grasslands.They usually eat their prey as they are flying.

Conservation threats:
Vulnerable to loss of tree hollows and loss of feeding grounds by forestry activities, clearing for agriculture and housing.

Other information:
They seem to migrate in winter from cooler areas in southern Australia to warmer northern areas.

Photo © H&J Beste/Nature Focus