There are two types of bats found in Australia, the "Megabat" and the Microbat". The Flying Fox is one of the Megabats. They are so called because their heads resemble those of foxes. They roost during the day, often in a camp. Each bat hangs by its feet with its wings wrapped around its body, holding its head at right angles to its chest. They have good nocturnal vision and find food by sight, by scent and by following the loud feeding cries of other bats. Most of these bats prefer to eat blossoms but will also eat fruit which they crush between their jaws. The bat then swallows the juice and spits out most of the pulp. They may skim over water to drink.

Each species of the Flying Fox has its own strong odour.
They mate in March and April and the young are born in October. The young cannot fly so they are carried by their mother for about a month, hanging on by gripping fur and a nipple with its claws and recurved milk teeth. At about 1 month of age it is left in camp at night while its mother flies off to feed. It can fly at 2 months of age but does not venture out of camp until it is about 3 months old.