What an interesting observation!
Many bats are killed by birds, not just owls but also things like Jays
(think Butcherbirds!). Bats are often easily caught up with by birds,
but they can have an advantage in manoeverability and perhaps also from
being able to easily know where the predator is even if they cannot see
it. But sometimes this does amaze me a bit. How did a Boobook catch a
Miniopterus? Those bats are fast and show an extreme ability to change
direction suddenly. I suspect for whatever reason, it wasn't a fair fight!
No idea what your bats were. Quite unusual to see groups hunting like
that in Aus. But given that it was an oval, maybe it had been watered or
something and there was some insect event going on.
Cheers, Chris.
On 2/28/2016 3:04 PM, calyptorhynchus . wrote:
> I was doing my stoutness exercises at my local oval (Hughes, ACT) this
> morning and, while it was still dark 6-8 small insectivorous bats were
> circling around feeding. (Don't know what sp but they were all dark and the
> body length was 5-6 cms).
>
> As it got lighter they all disappeared except one which was obviously
> trying to get some last minute feeding in. A Magpie saw it and swooped at
> it and the bat made for the trees at the other side of the Oval (about 250
> m away). The Magpie took off after it and easily caught up with it, but
> when it did the bat simply circled the Magpie, which was spinning, trying
> not to lose height and squawking in frustration. When the Magpie was dizzy
> the bat set off again, but same thing thing happened another two times
> before it made the safety of the trees.
>
> Guess that trick wouldn't have worked if it had been pursued by a
> Sparrowhawk or Hobby.
>
--
Chris Corben.
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