The Bat Hawk

This fascinating bat hawk (Macheiramphus alcinus) is a raptor found in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia through New Guinea. It mainly eats bats and needs open spaces for hunting but can live in various environments, from rainforests to semi-arid areas.

Characteristics

This unique bat hawk is a medium-sized, slender bird of prey measuring about 43 to 45 centimeters in length and comprises long wings together with a falcon-like silhouette, especially when in flight.

The adult Bat Hawk is characterized by a dark brown or black color, having a white patch on the chest and throat. It also bears a white streak above and below each eye.

The juveniles have a mottled brown color with a white layer of feathers that gives a clear specification of their plumage compared to adults whose color is characterized by a distinctive black, short, pointed head crest.

The bat hawk has long wings, spreading to over 3 to 4 feet, with bright yellowish eyes, slender legs, and pale bluish-grey toes.

Males and females are similar in size. They live in green areas such as savannah woodlands, forests, and areas near water bodies.

Behavior

The bat hawk hunts at a very high speed, successfully capturing prey 49 percent of the time. It mainly feeds on bats, small birds, and insects, with digestion taking about 6 seconds.

Like any other raptor, this bird species mainly feeds on a rich diet that comprises swallows, bats, nightjars, swiftlets, swifts, insects, and others.

This bat hawk is known for its speed, especially when taking on its prey in flight, whereby its prey is taken on the wing at a faster speed, and it rarely dives down for prey but all the time hunts its prey into raised surfaces such as trees, buildings, and others.

This bird species hunts at dusk, is called crepuscular, and swallows its prey whole. It has a large gape that evolved for this feeding habit and resembles insectivorous birds.

Vocalization: The Bat Hawk is mostly silent, making high-pitched whistles like “kwiek-kwiek.”

Breeding

During the breeding period, male bat hawks perform nuptial flights to attract females, showcasing stunning aerial displays.

Males always roll, stun, and perform foot touches at a very high speed. Both mates help build a large nest of sticks high in trees.

They always construct large nests, 3 feet by 1 foot deep, with a wider shallow cup centrally. It is made out of pliable materials such as leaves, sticks, and soft twigs, among others.

The female bat hawk lays a clutch with fewer than 3 eggs, with pale bluish-green eggs, incubated mainly by her, with some help from the male. This aims at allowing the female hawk to search for food.

Incubation for this bird species takes place between 40 and 48 days until hatching, and chicks will remain in the nest under the protection of the parents for between 2 months and 1 week until developed.