Black Flying Fox

Identification

The black flying fox is one of the world's largest bat species, instantly recognizable by its distinctive appearance. Its short, black fur contrasts sharply with a striking reddish-brown mantle across its shoulders and back. With a mean forearm length of 164 mm and a mean weight of 710 g, this is a substantial animal with a wingspan exceeding 1 metre, making it an impressive sight in flight despite being considerably smaller than the largest members of its genus, Pteropus.

Range & Habitat

The black flying fox is native to Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia. In Australia, the species occurs across New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory, and Western Australia. Its range extends to the Western Province of Papua New Guinea and parts of Indonesia including West Papua, Sulawesi, Sumba, and Savu.

These bats favour roost sites in mangroves, paperbark swamps, patches of rainforest, and bamboo forests, though they rarely shelter in caves or under overhangs. By day, they gather in enormous colonies known as camps, ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of individuals. These roosts are sometimes shared with other flying fox species including the grey-headed flying fox, spectacled flying fox, and little red flying fox.

Behaviour & Diet

Black flying foxes breed once annually, with females giving birth to a single young. Mothers carry their offspring for the first month before leaving them in the roost during nightly foraging expeditions. These bats are highly mobile feeders, known to travel up to 50 km in a single night in search of food.

They are specialist pollen and nectar feeders, preferring native eucalyptus, lilypillies, paperbark, and turpentine trees. During drought or when native foods are scarce, they readily adapt to introduced fruits such as mangos and apples. In residential areas, they have increasingly turned to cocos palm trees, which now account for around 30% of their diet, though the high acidity of these fruits can prove toxic.

Best Time & Places to See It

The black flying fox is not a threatened species, making sightings relatively reliable across its range in suitable habitat. Your best opportunities come at dawn and dusk when bats leave or return to their day roosts. Mangrove forests, paperbark swamps, and rainforest patches are your most promising locations. Visiting known camp sites in Queensland and New South Wales offers the highest probability of encounters with large aggregations, particularly during breeding season.

Photography Tips

Photograph black flying foxes at their roosts during early morning or late afternoon light when activity levels are highest and lighting is most favourable. The strong contrast between black fur and reddish-brown mantle provides excellent colour definition. A telephoto lens is essential, as these bats are often high in trees and easily disturbed. Approach quietly and avoid flash photography, which can stress the animals. Wide-angle shots capturing multiple individuals clustered in roost trees are particularly striking, while close-ups can reveal the species' distinctive facial features and fur colouration.