The small bodies of "Palaeochiropteryx" coupled with their relatively broad wingspan indicate that they may have been low level flyers, much like some modern bats with the same body structure. They specialized in hunting close to the ground, beneath the jungle canopy and among vegetation unlike other bats found in Messel Pit which flew at higher altitudes (an early evidence of niche partitioning). They had low wing loading and low aspect ratios, suggesting that they were relatively slow flyers but were able to maneuver in midair quickly – essential for avoiding collisions with the numerous obstacles near the forest floor. This fact may have made them especially vulnerable to the poisonous gases of the former Messel lake, explaining the abundance of their fossils.