Bandwing Flyingfish Identification Guide
Spot this flyingfish by the clear pale crossband interrupting its otherwise dark, wing-like pectoral fins.
Read the full Bandwing Flyingfish encyclopedia entry →
Key identification features
- Slender to moderately built flyingfish, generally 8-11 inches long
- Dark blue to greenish back with silvery flanks and belly
- Pectoral fins dark overall but crossed by a distinct pale or translucent band, giving a two-toned "banded wing" look
- Pelvic fins moderate in length, shorter than in four-wing species but longer than in some two-wing relatives
- Forked tail with the lower lobe longer than the upper, typical of the family
Common look-alikes
- Blackwing Flyingfish: pectoral fins are uniformly dark without any pale crossband
- Atlantic Flyingfish: pectoral fins are plain dusky rather than showing a defined pale band
- Tropical Two-wing Flyingfish: pectoral fins are plain dusky to clear, lacking both the dark ground color and pale band combination
Where you'll see one
Found in warm tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic and other oceans, typically well offshore over deep water, gliding across the surface to evade predators such as dolphinfish and tuna, often at night around lit fishing vessels.
Frequently asked questions
What field mark best identifies the Bandwing Flyingfish?
Look for a clear or pale band crossing the otherwise dark pectoral fin; this banded wing pattern is the defining feature that separates it from similarly sized, plain-winged flyingfish.
How do I tell it apart from the Blackwing Flyingfish in flight?
Watch the fin as it catches the light; a solid dark wing indicates the Blackwing Flyingfish, while a wing interrupted by an obvious lighter band confirms the Bandwing Flyingfish.