Scientifically known as Macheiramphus alcinus, the Bat Hawk is a raptor found in South Asia to New Guinea and Sub-Saharan Africa. This bird species is named after its diet mainly consisting of bats. The Bat hawk while hunting, it requires an open space though it will live anywhere from dense rainforest to semi-arid veld.
Bat hawk is a medium-sized, slender bird of prey that measures about 43 to 45 centimeters in length and comprises of long wings together with a falcon like silhouette while in flight. The adult Bat hawk is characterized with a dark brown colour or black having a white patch on the chest and throat. It also bares a white streak above and below each eye.
The juvenile Bat hawk comprises of mottled brown colour and has a white layer of feathers, thats is the plumage than the adult. This bird species is characterised with a distinctive black short pointed head crests.
This Bat Hawk features long wings spanning over 3 to 4 feet and the bird comprises of bright yellowish large eyes along withh slender long legs and pale bluish grey toes. Both male and female has the same sexes and size.
The bird species inhabits large green areas, Savannah woodland, forested areas, moist wooded areas and water bodies such as large rivers, pools, beaches and creeks along with exotic tree plantations including cities and in the villages.
Explore this rare bird species when birding in uganda and African birding safaris in Sub-Saharan Africa.
During the feeding process, the Bat Hawk chases its pray at a high speed in flight and always 49 percent of its hunts is successful. This bird species mainly feeds on bats and small birds such as nightjars, swifts and Swallows including insects. After the bird capturing its prey, it takes on average 6 seconds for the hunted prey to reach stomach after eating.
This bird species hunts at dusk hence crepuscular and feeds on the wing and swallow the whole prey. The feeding habit resulted from an unusually large gape evolution that is the largest of any raptor relative to body size which similarly resembles to that of insectivorous birds.
The Bat Hawk is generally a silent bird species which only emits varied high pitched and broken whistles that is rendered as “kwiek-Kwiek”.
During the breeding period which occurs most years, the male Bat Hawk performs breeding displays of nuptial flights inorder to attract the attention of the female bird. While performing the displays the male species stunt flies, foot touches and rolls which it oftenly performs at a high speed.
Both mates do participate in the construction of the nest which is a large sticked platform placed up high in the tree and situated on upright forks or draped over a horizontal branch.
The structure of the nest is always large measuring about 3 feet across by 1 feet deep having a broad shallow cup in the center. This breeding nest is lined with green plant materials and fine twigs hence reused every breeding year.
During the reproduction process, the female Bat Hawk produces a clutch consisting of a one pale bluish green egg which is also incubated mostly by the female and occassionally assisted by the male hence allowing the female Bat Hawk to get off the nest to forage and bathe.
Incubation process lasts for a period of 42 to 48 days until hatching takes place and the young ones will remain in the nest for a period of 65 to 68 days until fledging process and within that period they are fed and protected by their parents from any danger.
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Robert
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