Egyptian free-tailed bat (Tadarida aegyptiaca)
Identification pointers
To an inexperienced observer this third free-tailed species may
appear morphologically quite similar to the two above-mentioned
relatives .. There are some 14 species of free-tailed bats in the
Southern African sub-region. The Egyptian free-tailed bat’s head is
slightly more flattened than its other relatives (except for the
Flat-headed free-tailed bat, which will not be discussed here). The fur
is uniformly coloured brown above and below with wing membranes dark
coloured; also the fur appears to be generally a lighter brown than
found in the Little free-tailed bat in some regions of Limpopo.
Forearm lengths between 45-54 mm and mass between 11-22
g.10
Roosting habits
Various crevices ranging from loose bark, roofs of buildings and
exfoliating rock outcrops. In KwaZulu-Natal they are commonly found in
house roofs but in the Limpopo province seem to prefer granite rock
crevices. Roosting colonies are usually smaller than the two
above-mentioned species but may reach high numbers in some regions,
where a pungent odour and squeaky noises are associated with such large
colonies.8
Breeding
A single young is born per year in November or
December.10
Food
Beetles and moths are most commonly preyed upon.8,
10



