The bat falcon lives in wet tropical forests and on the edges of forests in open areas and towns from Mexico south to Ecuador and in northern Argentina. It is about 9-12 inches (23-30 cm) long with rusty brown leg feathers, black and white on the chest, black and white barred wings, and dark gray to black on the head, back and tail.

The bat falcon does prey on bats but also small birds (even hummingbirds) and insects like butterflies or dragonflies. When a bat falcon moves into the neighborhood, small birds vacate the area and hummingbirds neglect the nectar of nearby flowers. The female is much larger (by about 3 inches) and they go after more bats and birds while the males are happy eating more insects than flying mammals and birds. The falcons are known for seeking high perches and watching the day go by as they watch for prey. Once they locate a suitable target, they swoop down upon it. Hunting for bats obviously requires that the falcons are on duty when the bats are out and about, and they tend to be active at dawn and dusk when their bat prey will be out on the hunt themselves. The falcons figure out where the bats are roosting and position themselves near the entrances and wait there for some bats entering or exiting their home base. Unluckily for the bats, it appears that their radar system is not quite designed for diving birds of prey that snatch them out of the night sky as they look to do the same to their own prey.