Nathusius' pipistrelle - Social Calls

Social calls

The social calls of bats are often very useful for identifying bat species as they are usually species-specific. For example, female bats may select a mate based on the male's advertisement calls and mother's may locate their young in large maternity colonies by identifying the infants call. Recordings of social calls, are usually only useful if they are recorded using a time expansion bat detector. A few Nathusius' pipistrelle social calls are presented here.

Male Nathusius' pipistrelle establish territories and defend them from other males. They emit a social call, nearly always from a roost (i.e. when they're stationary) for long periods of time. For example, males observed in Northern Ireland call throughout the entire night coming out to feed only when the sun was just rising and the majority of other bats had returned to their roosts. (See a video clip of a male Nathusius' calling from his roost). The social calls is very complex (see above). Recordings usually show just the first part of this call (0-0.2s) as the other part is much quieter. Occasionally this call is produced on the wing.

Calls recorded from a roost during the period of early lactation. Presumably these calls are emitted by juveniles. Note the the frequency of maximum energy (19.5 khz) is half that of the echolocation calls of the adults (39kHz).

Distress calls may be heard from bats held on the hand and are very harsh. They may attract other individuals and species which perform mobbing behaviour.

Nathusius' pipistrelle in Great Britain and Ireland

Identification - Social Calls

Identification