Mormopterus ridei
The Eastern freetail bat has a rich brown fur on its back with slightly paler belly fur.
The skin on the ears and face is a drak grey colour. They are shaggier, darker and have longer fur than their Inland freetail bat cousins, and they tend to prefer the wetter climate of the eastern seaboard.
Habitat
Colonies of several hundred species have been recorded and they prefer to roost in tree hollows. Living along the eastern seaboard means their habitat preferences lean towards rainforest, tall open forests, woodlands, riparian open forest and dry schlerophyll forests. They tend to fly in open spaces between trees as they hunt for bugs, flies, beetles, moths and spiders.
Breeding
A single young is born around November.
Predators and Threats
Hawks and owls. Loss of tree roosts, land clearing, roost disturbance and modified fire regimes.
Photo: Terry Reardon
Note: This photo was taken under strict research controls. In no way should bats to be handled without gloves.
Sources:
Churchill, S. (2008) Australian Bats (2nd Edition). Allen and Unwin, Sydney.
Hall, L. (2009) Bats, A Wild Australia Guide. Steve Parish Publishing, Queensland.
Atlas of Living Australia