European bats capture migrating birds and eat them on the wing

"Recordings of chewing sounds combined with altitude data bear evidence of a gruesome night-time feast."

"The discovery of bird DNA in bat poo has suggested that a handful of bat species are able to hunt migrating birds. Researchers have now obtained direct evidence that some bats do hunt birds - and even consume their prey in mid-flight."

Recordings of chewing sounds paired with altitude-tracking data provide direct evidence that some bat species actively prey on migrating birds and consume them during nocturnal flight. Prior detection of bird DNA in bat faeces suggested such behavior, but acoustic and flight-altitude correlations confirm mid-air predation and in-flight consumption. The combined audio and movement datasets reveal coordinated hunting at migration altitudes and nocturnal feeding events. These findings indicate that predation on migratory birds by bats is more than incidental scavenging and can involve capture and immediate consumption, reshaping understanding of predator–prey interactions during nocturnal migrations.

Read at Nature