Like most bats, the Egyptian free-tailed bat is nocturnal, roosting in colonies of three to hundreds or thousands of individuals during the day and flying out at night to forage (1) (6). This species flies fast at great heights for relatively long periods of time, covering large areas of open land (7). An insectivorous species, the Egyptian free-tailed bat feeds on beetles, caterpillars, flies, moths, spiders, winged termites, wasps and water beetles, which may be caught in flight or plucked from the ground (1). As well as its proficiency in flight, the Egyptian free-tailed bat is fairly adept, compared to other bat species, at moving on land. It is able tocrawl on the ground, and scamper to protection when disturbed while roosting on vertical surfaces (2).
The Egyptian free-tailed bat, and its roosting communities, is reported to have a strong odour. This may be an important factor in social interactions, and the particular smell may be an important sensory cue, aiding the bat’s return to its roost after a night foraging (8).
The female Egyptian free-tailed bat gives birth to a single young each year, typically in the summer (3), after a four-month gestation period (4).