Details
Vampyrum spectrum
Spectral bat is a mammal associated with forests. It is carnivorous and often found in pairs. Decline or fragmentation makes continued monitoring important.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Its range is represented here by the Neotropics, where it uses forests. Mobile species may shift habitat use with season, breeding sites, or food availability.
Typical wingspan 70-100 cm, weight 140 g-190 g. It has a small agile rodent-like build, with proportions shaped by its habitat and mode of movement.
It is mostly active at night and often found in pairs. Spacing, group size, and visibility can change with season, feeding conditions, and breeding activity.
It is carnivorous. Food choice and foraging style are tied to life in forests, so movements often follow available food resources.
As a mammal, it gives birth to live young, and the mother nurses them in cover or within the social group.
Recorded scientifically as Vampyrum spectrum. Decline or fragmentation makes continued monitoring important. In this guide, size, habitat, and activity pattern are useful first clues for recognition.
