Species · GBIF taxon 5218655
Grey-headed Flying Fox
Pteropus poliocephalusAlso known as Grey-headed Fruit Bat
These giant, canopy-dwelling bats form noisy, bustling colonies known as camps, which can number in the tens of thousands of individuals. They navigate the night skies using keen eyesight and an acute sense of smell to locate flowering eucalyptus trees and fruiting canopy plants. As crucial long-distance pollinators, they help maintain the genetic health and diversity of Australia's native forests.
NocturnalMammalPollinator
—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Eucalyptus nectar
- Ficus fruits
- Melaleuca pollen
Predators
- Lace monitors
- Carpet pythons
- White-bellied sea eagles
ThreatsHabitat loss, extreme heatwaves, electrocution on powerlines, and entanglement in fruit netting
HabitatsEucalypt forests, woodlands, rainforests, swamps, and urban parks
Life span15 to 20 years in the wild
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyPteropodidae
- SpeciesPteropus poliocephalus
Native
Interaction riskModerate
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is moderate
- Can carry Australian Bat Lyssavirus; never touch or handle, and contact local wildlife rescue if one is injured.
- Why it is dangerous
- Can carry Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV), a rabies-like virus transmissible to humans through bites or scratches.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for a large bat with a dark grey body, a light grey head, and a prominent rusty-orange collar encircling the neck.
- What to do
- Never touch a live or dead bat; if scratched or bitten, wash the wound immediately and seek urgent medical attention.
- What to notice
- Identified by their impressive wingspan of up to one meter and their loud, chattering social vocalizations during the day.
- Support conservation
- Keep dogs on leashes near camps and avoid making loud noises that could trigger a panicked colony flush.
Responsible observation
- Observe from below: Watch them stream out of their roosts at dusk, a spectacular event known as the fly-out.
- Keep your distance: Avoid entering active camps during the day to prevent stressing the roosting colony.
- Report injured bats: Call a vaccinated wildlife rehabilitator immediately if you find a bat on the ground or caught in netting.
Predator Amos T Fairchild / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Co-occurring Relative (c) Ged Tranter, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ged Tranter · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Rolf Lawrenz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Rolf Lawrenz · cc-by
Close Relative Justin Welbergen / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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