Saccolaimus flaviventris Click to enlarge image
Yellow-bellied Sheathtail Bat Image: Hans & Judy Beste
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Saccolaimus
    Species
    flaviventris
    Family
    Emballonuridae
    Order
    Chiroptera
    Subclass
    Eutheria
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia

Introduction

Yellow-bellied Sheathtail Bats usually eat their prey as they are flying.

Habitat

Yellow-bellied Sheathtail Bats roost in hollows in old trees, and sometimes in the abandoned nests of sugar gliders. They usually form small colonies of up to 30.

Distribution


Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

Seasonality

Yellow-bellied Sheathtail Bats seem to migrate in winter from cooler areas in southern Australia to warmer northern areas.

Feeding and diet

Yellow-bellied Sheathtail Bats feed on flying insects, including beetles. They fly quickly but 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 status

Yellow-bellied Sheathtail Bats are vulnerable to loss of tree hollows and loss of feeding grounds by forestry activities, clearing for agriculture and housing.