Distribution: The Grey-headed flying-fox is the most southerly of the four mainland species, and is distributed along the east coast of Australia from Mackay in the north east all the way around to Adelaide in the south west. Camps of Grey-headed flying-foxes also form in inland Victoria.
Appearance: The Grey-headed flying-fox typically has a grey head and a yellow-orange collar of fur all the way around the neck and across the top of its shoulders. The rest of its body is covered in shaggy grey fur all the way to its toes. This species does display some colour variation and has been known to hybridise with the Black flying-fox, which can make identification difficult.
Morphometrics: Grey-headed flying-foxes weigh between 400g and 1.2kg, and their head and body is 220-290mm in length.
Image: Grey headed flying foxes. Credit: Aaron Fellmeth Photography via flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
How you can help
- Download the CAUL Urban Wildlife app. Available on Google Play or Apple Store
- Complete a quick online training session.
- Start recording flying foxes in your area. You can record individual sightings, or undertake a two part timed search - 5 minutes of listening followed by 15 minutes of looking. The timed searches will give us important information on both the presence and absence of our target species.
Species profiles
- Grey-headed flying-fox
- Black flying-fox
- Little red flying-fox
- Spectacled flying-fox
- Foraging species list