Bat Hawk

Macheiramphus alcinus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
GenusMacheiramphus
SpeciesMacheiramphus alcinus (Bat Hawk)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Raja Ampat

1 Verified sightings at Raja Ampat From 2019 to 2026

923 Verified sightings across all 40 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Bat Hawk

The bat hawk (Macheiramphus alcinus) is a raptor found in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia to New Guinea. It is named for its diet, which consists mainly of bats. It requires open space in which to hunt, but will live anywhere from dense rainforest to semi-arid veld.

The bat hawk is a slender, medium-sized bird of prey, 45 cm long and weighing 600–650 grams. It has long wings and a falcon-like silhouette while in flight. Adults are dark brown or black, with a white patch on the throat and chest, and have a white streak above and below each eye. Juveniles are mottled brown and have more white plumage than adults.

Bats are the usual prey of the bat hawk, although they may eat small birds, such as swallows, swifts, and nightjars, or even insects. They hunt by chasing their prey at high speeds in flight. 49.3% of their hunts are successful. Bats are captured by the use of small talons, and swallowed whole immediately in flight. Hunting methods may be similar to that of Swainson's Hawk, which makes use of different approach types (Up-stream, Down-stream and cross-stream) and grab directions/body positions (pitch down, pitch up and roll manoeuvres... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Raja Ampat

Haliastur indus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Haliaeetus leucogaster

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Aviceda subcristata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

LC Endemic

Henicopernis longicauda

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Aquila gurneyi

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Hieraaetus weiskei

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

VU Endemic

Harpyopsis novaeguineae

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Haliastur sphenurus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pandion haliaetus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Pandion cristatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

See all 10 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~20%
2	Way Kambas National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~10%
3	Khao Sok National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
4	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
5	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	<5%
6	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
7	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
8	Danum Valley Conservation Area	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
9	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
10	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
11	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
12	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
13	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
14	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
15	Taman Negara National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
16	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
17	Sepilok	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
18	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
19	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
20	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
21	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
22	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
23	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
24	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
25	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Insufficient data
26	Gunung Leuser National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
27	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
28	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
29	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
30	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
31	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
32	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	Insufficient data
33	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
34	Ankarafantsika National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	Insufficient data
35	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Insufficient data
36	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
37	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
38	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
39	Raja Ampat	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
40	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data

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Bat Hawk

About the Bat Hawk

Closest Relatives at Raja Ampat

Brahminy Kite

White-Bellied Sea-Eagle

Pacific Baza

Long-tailed Honey-buzzard

Gurney's Eagle

New Guinea Hawk-Eagle

New Guinea Eagle

Whistling Kite

Osprey

Eastern Osprey

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found