Territorial and pair behaviour of the African false vampire bat, Cardioderma cor (Chiroptera: Megadermatidae), in coastal Kenya

Cardioderma hangs from habitual perches to wait for mainly terrestrial prey. Their broad wings provide the lift at low speeds necessary to capture such prey from the ground. Male-female pairs were found in the long dry season, a period when reduced insect availability led to lower body weights and males used song to delineate their feeding territories. Males moved between perches more frequently during the first half-hour of nightly singing. An enlargement of foraging area was associated with earlier singing, as well as an increase in song rate, movement between perches and pair contact-vocalizations. Females are larger than males and the sex ratio favoured the latter. There was evidence of long-term territories and breeding throughout the year. These results are discussed in relation to pair-bonding and environmental seasonality.