Common Sheathtail Bat
Scientific name: Taphozous georgianus
Click to enlarge image
HJB-36913.tif
Image: Hans & Judy Beste
© Australian Museum
© Australian Museum
Fast Facts
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Classification
- Genus
- Taphozous
- Species
- georgianus
- Family
- Emballonuridae
- Order
- Chiroptera
- Subclass
- Eutheria
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
Introduction
Common Sheathtail Bats often rest on rocks during the night's feeding, next to cracks they will squeeze into if disturbed.
Habitat
Common Sheathtail Bats roost in caves, old mines and cracks in rocks. They sometimes roost together in small groups but usually hang more than 50 centimetres away from each other.
Distribution
Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia
Feeding and diet
Common Sheathtail Bats feed mainly on beetles but also other insects. They hunt alone, flying slowly in a straight line while following a grid pattern over the feeding ground. They feed over bushes and water catching and eating insects while flying.
Conservation status
Common Sheathtail Bats are vulnerable to disturbance from human visitors to cave roosts, destruction of caves by mining, and loss of feeding habitat by clearing and land degradation from agriculture.
