Movements of grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) to and from colony site on the central coast of New South Wales

Abstract

Movements and numbers of grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) were recorded in and around a colony site on the central coast of New South Wales over a period of 53 months from 1986 to 1990. Daily departures from the site correlated primarily with the time of sunset. Annual occupation cycles showed wide flutuations with only one fiied period, March-May, when a mating colony of at least 20 000 bats was at the site. In most years a small nursery colony was present during October- December. Superimposed on this reproductive use of the site were highly variable patterns of occupation correlated with fluctuations in food supply. Local abundances of blossoms such as Angophorafloribunda and Eucalyptus maculata resulted in colony numbers of at least 80 000 bats.