INTRODUCTION TO BAT IDENTIFICATION
South Yorkshire bats
UK = 17 speciesSouth Yorkshire = 9-10 speciesSmall common bats of edge habitats
common and soprano pipistrelles
Big bats of open habitats noctule + Leisler’s bats
Woodland bats brown long-eared bats, Natterer’s bats, whiskered bat, Brandt’s bat
Water bats Daubenton’s bat
Daubenton’s bat
Brown long-eared bat
Common pipistrelle
Noctule
Basics of Bat Call ID
Often difficult to identify bats to species level using a bat detector
Best to record calls and identify them through examination of the sonogram and measurement of call parameters
Sonogram: Time on x axis frequency on y axis
Taken from Russ (2012)
For HSM project will use call parameters provided in ‘British bat calls: a guide to species identification’ during manual call ID
Basics of Bat Call ID
Basics of Bat Call ID
Basics of Bat Call ID
Small common bats of edge habitats: common pipistrelle
Common pipistrelle Common in urban areas Generalist species Lives in new and old houses Common pipistrelles appear fast and
jerky in flight and change direction frequently as they dodge pursuing small insects which are caught and eaten in flight
when a bat detector is tuned in to the peak frequency (deepest pitch) the calls sound "wet" and "slappy"
‘Reversed hockey stick’ call with a peak frequency between 41-49kHz
Soprano pipistrelle Associated with water Lives in buidings and trees Soprano pipistrelles appear fast and
jerky in flight and change direction frequently as persue small insects which are caught and eaten in flight
when a bat detector is tuned in to the peak frequency (deepest pitch) the calls sound "wet" and "slappy"
‘Reversed hockey stick’ call with a peak frequency between 50-64.1kHz
Small common bats of edge habitats: soprano pipistrelle
Big bats of open habitats: noctule
Noctule Largest British bat, emerges early Can fly up to 50 km/h Primarily tree rooster Characteristic powerful, direct flight on narrow
pointed wings In open habitats produces a two part "chip-
chop" call: the "chip" has a peak frequency of around 24 kHz, the "chop" has a peak frequency of around 19 kHz
Leisler’s bat
Leisler’s bat Very scattered distribution Roosts in buildings and trees Similar to noctule With long narrow wings, in flight
Leisler's bats look similar to noctules, but are slightly smaller
Like noctules usually fly high and fast in the open, with shallow dives (noctules tend to make steeper dives)
in fairly open habitats produces a two part "chip-chop" call: the chip has a peak frequency of around 27 kHz, the chop has a peak frequency of around 23 kHz
Big bats of open habitats: Leisler’s bat
Woodland bats: brown long-eared bats
Brown long-eared bat Known as the ‘whispering bat’ Roosts in trees and old buildings Hunts partially through passive
hearing Lucky to hear on a bat detector
despite being a common bat, need to be within about 5 m
Frequency modulated calls usually consisting of two harmonics. Peak frequency around 33 kHZ
Calls sound like a light purring
Natterer’s bat Roosts in trees and old buildings Feeds largely by gleaning Emerges late Normally fly at heights of less than 5
metres, but occasionally may reach 15 metres in the tree canopy
With all Myotis bats if you tune down to 35 kHz, below common pipistrelle peak frequecy get dry clicks
Quiet and quick, extremely broadband call on average 22.8-106.8 kHz, though can range from 15.1 - 145.3 kHz
Woodland bats: Natterer’s bat
Whiskered and Brandt’s bat Very similar species Feed on rides and woodland edge Brandt’s more associated with wet
habitats Whiskered bats have fast and fluttering
flight, to a height of 6 metres, generally level with occasional swoops.
Frequently fly along a regular "beat" over or alongside a hedgerow or woodland edge (whereas Brandt's bats more often fly within woodland)
Produces typically frequency modulated pulses starting at around 85 kHz and ending around 32kHz, irregular pulses compared to Daubenton’s bat
Woodland bats: whiskered and Brandt’s bat
Water bats
Daubenton’s bat Hunts low over water and employs
trawling to catch insects Roosts in trees and bridges Forms large summer roosts Can be easily seen on River Don Heard as a series of rapid clicks on
detector Pulses fast and regular Produces frequency modulated
sweeps starting around 85 kHz and ending at about 25kHz often with slight kinks or bend at 40kHz
Often ‘missing frequencies’ in calls emitted over water
Bats we may find in South Yorkshire
Nathusius’ pipistrelle Associated with water Migratory and bigger than
common/soprano Peak frequency between 35.5-41.9
Alcathoe bat Similar to whiskered/Brandts Associated with woodland and water End frequency rarely drops below
40kHZ Lesser horseshoe bat
Maybe not for several decades Instantly recognisable from echolocation call
Any questions?
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