Greater Noctule Research Articles

Bat droppings collection by ants in epigean environments

Abstract Ants can be found in insect communities associated with droppings, but most studies about this interaction have been carried out in subterranean environments, specifically in the study of the interaction between ants and bat guano. In this report, we describe the first case of interaction between seven different ant species and the droppings of two bat species in epigean environments. The study was performed in bat roosts monitored from March to October 2022 in the Doñana Biological Reserve of the Doñana National Park (Huelva, SW Spain). It was carried out via direct observations of droppings deposited on the ground surface or in tree‐mounted dropping collectors below bat boxes. We report a total of 37 interactions by seven different species of ants with droppings of two species of bat, the soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) and the greater noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus), in four different habitats (Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Pinus pinea, Populus alba and ground surface). The generalist characters and the omnivorous diets of the ant species observed, in addition to the abundant availability of droppings during a period of food scarcity, suggest that droppings are transported as a food resource, with the consequent implications that this interaction may have on faecal degradation and nutrient cycling, as one of the supporting services provided by ants.

Видове різноманіття кажанів (Chiroptera) в Українському Приазов’ї та особливості їхнього перебування за сезонами

The article presents the results of regional surveys of bats in 2010–2020 in places planned for the construction of wind farms. With the use of modern ultrasonic detectors, computer programs and an electronic library of voices, 15 species were found in the Ukrainian Azov Region. Their highest diversity (11–13 species) was revealed in places of intensive migration. First of all, these are the sites Armyansk, Chaplynka, and Askania-Nova, which are located between the Dnieper valley and the Crimean Peninsula. Probably, in this area, bats migrating from the northern and north-eastern regions cross the land and join those moving along the Azov coast. The movement of a significant number of animals is noticeable in the west of the Molochna River. A relatively large variety of bats occurs near the sites Botiyevo, Orlivka, and Primorsk, located directly on the northern shore of the Sea of Azov, along which the migratory movements of bats are particularly strong. During winter, with limited research in this period, 8 species were found, whereas 13 species during spring and autumn migrations and 11 species in summer. The almost complete transformation of the steppe into agrocoenoses bordered by forest belts and irrigation canals undoubtedly affected bats in addition to global warming. In recent years, in all places of the Ukrainian Azov Region, there has been a decline in the number of the common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus), and an increase in the abundance of the noctule bat (Nyctalus noctula), Kuhl's pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii), Nathusius' pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii), and parti-coloured bat (Vespertilio murinus). In all seasons, the least common species were the brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus), Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii), greater noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus), lesser noctule (Nyctalus leisleri), Savi's pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii), and western barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus).

Use of GPS–GSM Trackers in Studying the Biology of the Greater Noctule Nyctalus lasiopterus in Russia

Twenty-five individuals of the greater noctule Nyctalus lasiopterus were caught and marked with rings during an inventory of bat fauna (Chiroptera, Mammalia) of Meshchera National Park (Vladimir region) in 2019. Twelve animals were additionally tagged with miniature GPS–GSM trackers. For the first time for Russia, nighttime flight durations (1.3–3.3 h, average of 2.6 h) and flight activity characteristics (maximum speed 39–58 km/h) of this rare bat species were obtained. The flight activity characteristics and the condition of animals recaptured in summer indicate that there is no significant negative impact of trackers on the condition and movement of the greater noctule.

Nest-site competition and killing by invasive parakeets cause the decline of a threatened bat population.

The identification of effects of invasive species is challenging owing to their multifaceted impacts on native biota. Negative impacts are most often reflected in individual fitness rather than in population dynamics of native species and are less expected in low-biodiversity habitats, such as urban environments. We report the long-term effects of invasive rose-ringed parakeets on the largest known population of a threatened bat species, the greater noctule, located in an urban park. Both species share preferences for the same tree cavities for breeding. While the number of parakeet nests increased by a factor of 20 in 14 years, the number of trees occupied by noctules declined by 81%. Parakeets occupied most cavities previously used by noctules, and spatial analyses showed that noctules tried to avoid cavities close to parakeets. Parakeets were highly aggressive towards noctules, trying to occupy their cavities, often resulting in noctule death. This led to a dramatic population decline, but also an unusual aggregation of the occupied trees, probably disrupting the complex social behaviour of this bat species. These results indicate a strong impact through site displacement and killing of competitors, and highlight the need for long-term research to identify unexpected impacts that would otherwise be overlooked.

Nyctalus lasiopterus Schreber, 1780 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae): first record for Kornati archipelago and first recent capture for Croatia

No abstract available

Calls of a Bird-Eater: The Echolocation Behaviour of the Enigmatic Greater Noctule,Nyctalus lasiopterus

The greater noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus) is one of the rarest, least studied and the largest European bat. It feeds on large flying insects and also preys extensively on small night-migrating songbirds that it presumably intercepts at high altitude. The present study provides the first systematic account of echolocation behaviour and call design in the greater noctule. We documented variability in call duration from 1.4 to 25 ms and an associated strong variation in frequency parameters of echolocation calls. Greater noctules adapted call structure and repetition rate to the current perceptual task. In open space, they used calls with very low peak and terminal frequencies; generally below 15 kHz. We recorded echolocation calls from the sympatric — at least in Eastern Europe — smaller congener N. noctula. Our data suggest that acoustic separation of the two species is feasible. Therefore, acoustic monitoring could prove useful to survey distribution and habitat use of the enigmatic greater noctule. Usin...