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What do most bats eat?

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bat Livingstone's fruit bat (*Pteropus livingstonii*) in flight.

Most bats feed on flying insects, which they track and identify using echolocation. While insects are the primary food source for the majority of species, bat diets are diverse and include:1

Fruit and Nectar: Many phyllostomid bats and the Old World fruit bat family feed on fruit, nectar, and pollen. These bats play a vital role in pollination and seed dispersal.123
Carnivory: Some species are carnivorous, consuming small vertebrates such as rodents, shrews, birds, frogs, and lizards.1
Blood: Vampire bats feed exclusively on the blood of birds or large mammals.1
Fish: A small number of species are specialized to catch fish using large, clawed hind feet.1

Would you like to learn more about how specific species have adapted to their unique diets?