Predation of Lesser Naked-backed Bats (Pteronotus davyi) by a Pair of American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) on the Island of Marie-Galante, French West Indies

Predation on bats by raptorial birds has been documented in numerous cases, including both diurnal and nocturnal episodes, and can generally be classified as one of three categories (Lima and O'Keefe 2013). The first, specific specialization, refers to species with physiological and behavioral adaptations for bat consumption (Fenton and Flemming 1979), e.g., two species of bat hawks (Macheiramphus alcinus and Falco rufigularis; Black et al. 1979, Seijas 1996). The second category, individual specialization, refers to individual raptors that have specialized on bats. Examples of this type of behavior are known for Barn Owl (Tyto alba), Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), and Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus; Baker 1962, Looney 1972, Sick 1961, Pierson and Donahue 1983). This behavior is usually associated with hunting at large bat colonies, such as those of Brazilian free-tailed bats, as...