Mammals nocturnal

Grey-headed Flying-fox

Pteropus poliocephalus

Australia’s largest bat is a spectacular sight in the night sky, easily recognized by its 'ginger' collar and impressive wingspan. As a critical forest pollinator, having these megabats visit your backyard is a sign of a healthy, flowering ecosystem.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Wingspan up to 1 m (3.3 ft); head-body length 23–29 cm (9.1–11.4 in); weight 600–1,100 g (1.3–2.4 lbs)

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Colors

Light grey fur on the head, a vivid reddish-orange or ginger collar completely encircling the neck, and a dark grey to black body. No sexual dimorphism in color.

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Key Features

Bright orange or ginger collar around the neck
Light grey fur covering the head
Fur extends all the way down to the ankles
Largest bat species in Australia with a fox-like face

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern nocturnal

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Peak hours 7 PM - 4 AM

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Season September-May

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Diet A specialist nectarivore and frugivore, primarily consuming nectar and pollen from Eucalyptus, Banksia, and Melaleuca blossoms. They also eat various native and introduced fruits, including figs and litchis.

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Habitat Coastal eastern Australia, found in rainforests, woodlands, swamps, and increasingly in urban parks and suburban gardens.

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Behavior

The Grey-headed Flying-fox is a highly social and intelligent mammal that lives in large communal roosts called camps, which can contain tens of thousands of individuals. They are nocturnal foragers, leaving their camps at sunset in a spectacular 'fly-out' to search for food up to 50 kilometers away. While they have a reputation for being noisy, their vocalizations are a sophisticated form of communication used to defend territory and interact with their young.

In suburban environments, these bats are frequently seen visiting flowering gums or fruiting trees in backyards. They are vital to the Australian ecosystem, acting as 'long-distance' pollinators and seed dispersers for native hardwood forests. While they are generally shy of humans, they are curious and can become accustomed to visiting the same garden night after night if a reliable food source is present.

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Camera Tips

To capture high-quality footage of a Grey-headed Flying-fox, position your camera near a known food source rather than a flight path. Look for flowering Eucalyptus or Banksia trees in your yard. Mount the camera high—at least 2 to 3 meters (6-10 feet) up—angled slightly upward toward the blossoms. Because these bats often hang upside down to feed, placing the camera on a branch looking toward a cluster of flowers or fruit will give you the best chance of capturing their faces and the 'thumb' claws they use to maneuver.

Lighting is your biggest challenge since they are strictly nocturnal. Use a camera with high-quality infrared (IR) night vision or 'No-Glow' LEDs to avoid startling them. Set your trigger speed to the fastest possible setting; these bats are surprisingly quick when landing or taking off. A video length of 15-20 seconds is ideal, as it allows you to see their social grooming and the way they wrap their wings around themselves like a cloak.

If you are using a trail camera with a PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor, be aware that bats have excellent insulation, and their body heat might not always trigger the sensor if the ambient temperature is high. Try to position the camera within 3 meters of the target branch to ensure the sensor picks up their movement. During the summer months, you might even capture them 'belly-dipping' in a backyard pool or pond—a unique behavior used to drink and cool down on hot nights.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Grey-headed Flying-fox.

Black Flying-fox

Lacks the orange collar and has fur only to the knees, whereas the Grey-headed has fur to the ankles.

Little Red Flying-fox

Much smaller with distinct reddish-brown fur and transparent-looking wings compared to the dark wings of the Grey-headed.

Spectacled Flying-fox

Has prominent rings of pale yellow fur around the eyes, resembling spectacles, and is found further north in Queensland.

Frequently Asked Questions

They are strictly nocturnal, typically leaving their roosts at dusk (around sunset) and returning just before dawn. You are most likely to see them in your backyard between 8 PM and 3 AM when they are actively foraging for nectar.

The best way to attract them is by planting native Australian flowering trees such as Eucalyptus, Corymbia, and Banksia. They are also attracted to fruiting trees like native figs. Avoid using bird netting, as this can entangle and injure them.

Their primary diet consists of nectar and pollen from native blossoms, particularly Eucalypts. They also enjoy native fruits like figs and occasionally garden fruits like mulberries or stone fruits when native food sources are scarce.

Yes, they have become very common in urban areas of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane as they follow 'blossom trails' and take advantage of the diverse range of flowering plants found in suburban gardens.

The easiest way is to look at their legs and collar. Grey-headed Flying-foxes have fur all the way down to their ankles and a full orange/ginger collar. Black Flying-foxes only have fur to their knees and typically lack the bright ginger collar.

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