Greater Sac-winged Bat
Saccopteryx bilineata
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderChiroptera (Ratpenats)
- FamilyEmballonuridae (Sheath-tailed Bats)
- GenusSaccopteryx
- SpeciesSaccopteryx bilineata (Greater Sac-winged Bat)
The greater sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx bilineata) is a bat of the family Emballonuridae native to Central and South America. They are common bats seen in the rainforest, as they often roost on the outside of large trees. They are insectivores and use echolocation calls through the mouth to track their prey, which includes flies, beetles, butterflies and moths. The long nose and upper lip are highly mobile and can shift upward to enlarge the mouth opening. The term "sac-winged" refers to small pouches on the wings. These sacs are used by males to attract females and to mark their harem territory. Wikipedia →
5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Sac-winged Bat sighting in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, based on 5 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve
Proboscis Bat
Rhynchonycteris naso
Lesser Dog-like Bat
Peropteryx macrotis
Thomas's Sac-winged Bat
Balantiopteryx io
Gray Sac-winged Bat
Balantiopteryx plicata
Greater Dog-like Bat
Peropteryx kappleri
Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat
Artibeus jamaicensis
Big-eared Woolly Bat
Chrotopterus auritus
Great Fruit-eating Bat
Artibeus lituratus
Heller's Broad-nosed Bat
Platyrrhinus helleri
Cozumelan Golden Bat
Mimon cozumelae
Common Big-eared Bat
Micronycteris microtis
Tomes's Sword-nosed Bat
Lonchorhina aurita
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
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
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Greater Sac-winged Bat in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve?
About 7% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Sac-winged Bat sighting in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, based on 5 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Greater Sac-winged Bat in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve?
January has the highest sighting rate for Greater Sac-winged Bat in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in our monthly data.