Lavia frons
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The yellow-winged bat (Lavia frons) is one of five species of false vampire bat (family Megadermatidae) from Africa and is the only known species of its genus, Lavia. The yellow-winged bat has a total length of 58–80 mm (2.3–3.1 in) and a body weight of 28–36 g (0.99–1.27 oz). Females tend to be slightly larger than males. The wingspan averages 36 cm. This specie's pelage is made of long hairs that are typically pearl grey or slaty gray. Males may have greenish-yellow fur on the hindparts and on the ventral surfaces. As their name suggests, the bat has wings that are reddish-yellow which is also the color of their other membranes as well as their noseleaf and ears. The membranes are largely hairless although there is some fur on the upper arms. The ears are fairly long and have a spiky tragus. They have an elongated noseleaf with a blunt but pointed tip. Although the yellow-winged bat has an advanced interfemoral membrane, it lacks an external tail. The dental formula is 0.2.1.11.2.3.3. Glands exist on the lower back of males and discharge a yellow substance. Females have false nipples near the anus and are used by the young to hold on to.
The yellow... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 2 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 3 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 4 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 5 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 6 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-winged Bat sighting in Serengeti National Park on a given day, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 30th most-seen of the 41 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-winged Bat in Serengeti National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September, the lowest month. That is one of Serengeti National Park's wettest months, with about 140 mm of rain against 5 mm in July.
Between 5 and 8 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Yellow-winged Bat sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
4th of 6
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Yellow-winged Bat sightings, Serengeti National Park ranks 4th at about 20%. The best odds are in Murchison Falls National Park (Uganda, about 30%), Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda, about 20%) and Lake Mburo National Park (Uganda, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Yellow-winged Bat is recorded against all the mammals logged in Serengeti National Park (40 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.
