Species MammalsHairy-legged Vampire Bat

Hairy-legged Vampire Bat

Diphylla ecaudata

Very rareMammal
Illustration of Hairy-legged Vampire Bat (Diphylla ecaudata)
Safety note: May carry rabies — do not approach or handle.

The Hairy-legged Vampire Bat is one of three vampire bat species and feeds exclusively on the blood of birds rather than mammals—an unusual dietary specialization among blood-feeders. It uses its sharp incisors to nick sleeping birds and laps blood from the wound, aided by anticoagulant saliva. This bat reaches extreme south Texas at the northern limit of its range.

Habitat
Tropical forests and caves near dense bird roosts
Diet
Blood of birds, occasionally small mammals
How common
Very rare

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