Head to head
Yellow-winged Bat vs Ghost Bat
Yellow-winged Bat
VS Ghost Bat
The yellow-winged bat of Africa and the ghost bat of Australia both hunt by waiting on a perch and dropping on prey, but one is a colourful insect catcher and the other a pale predator of vertebrates.
| Yellow-winged Bat | Ghost Bat | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Lavia frons | Macroderma gigas |
| Range | Savanna and acacia woodland across sub-Saharan Africa | Northern Australia only, including parts of Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland |
| Colour | Vivid yellow to orange wings and ears against a grey body | Pale grey fur with large ears joined at the base |
| Diet | Flying insects and sometimes other small prey | Carnivore, eating birds, reptiles, small mammals, and other bats |
| Hunting | Waits on a branch and flies out to seize passing insects, much like a flycatcher | Ambushes from a still perch, watching and listening before swooping down on prey |
| Roost | Rests in the open in trees and bushes by day, in pairs or small groups | Roosts by day in caves, rock crevices, and abandoned mine shafts |
| Size | Not specifically documented | One of the largest microbats in the world |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, with a stable population | Vulnerable, with a decreasing population |
Yellow-winged Bat vs Ghost Bat: common questions
Which bat is carnivorous?
The ghost bat, Australia's only entirely carnivorous bat, which eats birds, reptiles, small mammals, and other bats, while the yellow-winged bat catches insects.
Which bat roosts in the open by day?
The yellow-winged bat, which rests in trees and bushes in daylight, unlike most bats, which hide in caves or roofs.
Where do the yellow-winged bat and ghost bat live?
The yellow-winged bat lives in savanna and acacia woodland across sub-Saharan Africa, while the ghost bat lives only in northern Australia.