Phyllostomus hastatus
Silhouette: Roberto Díaz Sibaja · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The greater spear-nosed bat (Phyllostomus hastatus) is a bat species of the family Phyllostomidae from South and Central America. It is one of the larger bats of this region and is omnivorous. Phyllostomus hastatus lives in tropical regions of the Americas. The species ranges from Guatemala and Belize south to Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina and Brazil. It also occurs in Trinidad and Tobago and on Margarita Island (Venezuela). Although most commonly found around streams and other bodies of water, these bats are also present in drier areas. They inhabit both open and forested regions.
The greater spear-nosed bat has a body length of around 100–130 mm (3.9–5.1 in), with a wing span of 455 mm (17.9 in). Despite the large size, it is very light, weighing on average 81 g (2.9 oz). Its long, thick hair is dark brown, with a slight orange tinge on the ventral side. It has a well-developed nose shaped like a spear-head, which gives it its more common name. The ears are spread far apart and are smaller than in other phyllostomids. The lower lip has a distinctive V-shaped groove and many warts. Both sexes have a throat sac just above breast bone. That... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bastimentos Island National Marine Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 2 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 3 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Spear-nosed Bat sighting in La Amistad International Park (Panama) on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 22nd most-seen of the 28 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–May, July and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Spear-nosed Bat in La Amistad International Park (Panama) on a given day, against under 5% in June, August–September and November–January, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Greater Spear-nosed Bat sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Greater Spear-nosed Bat sightings, La Amistad International Park (Panama) ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Bastimentos Island National Marine Park (Panama, about 10%) and Manu National Park (Peru, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Greater Spear-nosed Bat is recorded against all the mammals logged in La Amistad International Park (Panama) (9 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
