Batty behavior: Falcon seen feasting on atypical prey species in Greece

Batty Behavior: Falcon Seen Feasting on Atypical Prey Species in Greece 

Falcons are lauded for their speed and agility. The Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo), skilled at snagging birds and insects out of the air, is no exception. However, during twilight on one fateful day in October, researcher Apostolos Christopoulos observed several hobbies feeding on something else in a protected wetland in Greece — bats from the genus Pipistrelus. Bat predation by Eurasian Hobbies has only been recorded a handful of times before and the species is relatively unstudied, making this discovery an illuminating one. Migration is an energetically demanding time of year for all raptors and understanding which prey items feature in a species’ refueling strategy can have strong conservation implications. This observation suggests that bats may offer critical caloric support for migrating hobbies, especially in wetland-urban habitats.  

Eurasian Hobbies undertake impressive migrations each year, flying from Palearctic breeding grounds to Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, and Southeastern Asia. To complete these journeys, they must find places to refuel and rest, called “stopover sites.” Wetlands like the Messolonghi-Aitoliko lagoons of Southwestern Greece, where this predation event was observed, offer especially attractive stopover habitat for migrating raptors because they host a diversity of prey. These specific lagoons also offer a final opportunity for migratory birds to consume prey before flying across the Mediterranean Sea on their way to Africa. 

Christopoulos, with the Department of Biology at the University of Athens, Greece, recently published his observation in the Journal of Raptor Research under the title “Bat Predation at Twilight by Migrating Eurasian Hobbies Falco subbuteo in a Major Mediterranean Lagoon.” Here he describes an observation of one particular hobby dispatching eight bats in a half hour on October 12^th, 2025, identified by a distinctive protruding tail feather and confirmed as a juvenile. “This observation represents a predation event recorded at a scale that has never been documented before in Greece,” says Christopoulos. “Many people may not realize how strongly these birds depend on specific key locations and on the presence of stable local prey populations,” says Christopoulos. “By documenting this behavior, we demonstrate that conserving local prey populations, through the protection of the habitats in which they live, is essential for the survival of migratory raptors.”

Raptors are top predators. As such, they exert a notable influence on ecosystem dynamics and can serve as sentinels of environmental health, or lack thereof. Christopoulos hopes that his observation will inspire future focus on the relationship between environmental change and selection of stopover by migratory raptors of various age classes, as well as more detailed investigation into which prey items are favored at critical geographical junctures. 

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Paper:

Christopoulos, Apostolos (2026). Bat Predation at Twilight by Migrating Eurasian Hobbies Falco Subbuteo in a Major Mediterranean Lagoon. Journal of Raptor Research, 60(2):1-6. 
DOI: 10.3356/jrr2596

Notes to Editor:

1. The Journal of Raptor Research (JRR) is an international scientific journal dedicated entirely to the dissemination of information about birds of prey. Established in 1967, JRR has published peer-reviewed research on raptor ecology, behavior, life history, conservation, and techniques. JRR is available quarterly to members in electronic and paper format.

2. The Raptor Research Foundation (RRF) is the world’s largest professional society for raptor researchers and conservationists. Founded in 1966 as a non-profit organization, our primary goal is the accumulation and dissemination of scientific information about raptors. The Foundation organizes annual scientific conferences and provides competitive grants & awards for student researchers & conservationists. The Foundation also provides support & networking opportunities for students & early career raptor researchers.