Noctule bat

Species

There are six species within this genus:

1. Nyctalus noctula (common noctule), Europe, Asia, North Africa
2. Nyctalus leisleri (lesser noctule or Leisler's bat), Europe, West Asia, North Africa
3. Nyctalus lasiopterus (giant noctule), Europe, West Asia, North Africa
4. Nyctalus aviator (birdlike noctule), Japan, Korea, Eastern China
5. Nyctalus montanus (mountain noctule), Afghanistan, Northern India, Nepal
6. Nyctalus azoreum (Azores noctule), Azores

Common noctule bat

With a length of 8 cm and a wing span of 35 cm the common noctule bat is the largest bat species in Western and Central Europe. It starts to hunt in the early dusk, much earlier than other European bats. It is flying high above the treetops of forests. At daytime the noctule bat sleeps in tree holes.

Generally noctule bats live in forests, but some populations can be found in towns. There are many noctules living in Hamburg, Vienna, Brno and other cities.

In addition to the typical ultrasounds the noctule bat may expel shrill cries. The function of these sounds is still unknown. Noctule bats mainly feed on beetles, moths and winged ants.

In the winter the noctule bats hibernate like all bats of the temperate zones. Tree holes are not warm enough for this purpose, so the noctule bats search natural caves or man-made objects like church steeples. Sometimes the summer territories and the hibernating places are hundreds of kilometres away from each other.

Other species

The common noctule bat is declining like all European bats, but the other European noctules are even rarer. The lesser noctule and the giant noctule live in forests only and never in towns.

See also: microbat