canberrabirds

Micro Bats and Predators

To: 'Graeme Clifton' <>, 'COG List' <>
Subject: Micro Bats and Predators
From: Philip Veerman <>
Date: Wed, 10 May 2017 23:15:53 +0000

Small bat hunting is well known for the Aust Hobby. I don’t know that it is known for the Peregrine Falcon. I wonder whether the accompanying high pitched squealing was made by the bat. I can’t recall bats squealing when being handled but it is a long time since I did, and so I wonder would they call loud enough to be heard or was the sound from the Hobby?

 

 

 

From: Graeme Clifton [
Sent: Wednesday, 10 May, 2017 4:03 PM
To: COG List
Subject: [canberrabirds] Micro Bats and Predators

 

Hi All,

These events unfolded over the last three evenings above and near a farm dam on our property at Wanna Wanna Rd, Carwoola.

 

Micro bats are seen every night, for as long as I can remember, feeding above this dam.  They start to come out as the sun sets and it is usual to see 6 bats or more.

 

Sunday evening I saw a falcon ( pointy wingtips) flying over the dam carrying something in its talons and there was an accompanying high pitched squealing from the prey.  Initial thoughts were a mouse but then I realised it was likely a bat.  The Falcon flew to an exposed dead branch.  A few minutes later I saw a concerted attack on the bats.  The Falcon missed in three passes but got a kill on the next pass.

 

Monday evening was overcast and there was no opportunity to silhouette the Falcon against the sky.  It made two passes that I saw and then it wasn't seen again.

 

Peregrine or Hobby?  I couldn't decide.

 

Tuesday evening Martin Butterfield came around and between about 5.05 and 5.30 we witnessed 4 kills.   Two kills were only a few minutes apart.  Clear skies again and excellent views of the action.  One kill was directly overhead at probably less than 10 m above us.

 

The bats tended to disappear for a short while after a kill, surprise, surprise.  The mode of attack was from behind and slightly below.

 

There could have been two predators as there appeared a size difference, but we didn't see two at once so that is speculation.

 

Martin has come to the conclusion that it was probably a pair of Hobbys.

 

There were two bats still cruising the dam after the action ceased last night so I am assuming the Hobby/Hobbys will be back this evening.

 

Graeme Clifton

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