Data from: Common noctules exploit low levels of the aerosphere

O'Mara MT, Wikelski M, Kranstauber B, Dechmann DKN. 2019. Data from: Common noctules exploit low levels of the aerosphere. Movebank Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5441/001/1.7t4b97qf

Abstract

Aerial habitats present a challenge to find food across a large potential search volume, particularly for insectivorous bats that rely on echolocation calls with limited detection range and may forage at heights over 1000 m. To understand how bats use vertical space, we tracked one to five foraging flights of eight common noctules (Nyctalus noctula). Bats were tracked for their full foraging session (87.27 ± 24 mins) using high-resolution atmospheric pressure radio transmitters that allowed us to calculate height and wingbeat frequency. Bats used diverse flight strategies, but generally flew lower than 40 m, with scouting flights to 100 m and a maximum of 300 m. We found no influence of weather on height and high-altitude ascents were not preceded by an increase in foraging effort. Wingbeat frequency was independent from climbing or descending flight, and bats skipped wingbeats or glided in 10% of all observations. Wingbeat frequency was positively related to capture mass, and wingbeat frequency was positively related to time of night, indicating an effect of load increase over a foraging bout. Overall, individuals used a wide range of airspace including altitudes that put them at increased risk from human-made structures. Further work is needed to test the context of these flight decisions, particularly as individuals migrate throughout Europe.

Keywords

Nyctalus noctula,animal tracking,bat,bio-logging,common noctule,flight,movement ecology,Nyctalus noctula,wingbeat frequency

Taxa

Taxon

Nyctalus noctula

Common Noctule, Noctule

Sensors

Sensor

Accessory Measurements

DOIs of related Publications

https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181942

URI

https://datarepository.movebank.org/handle/10255/move.797

BibTex

@misc{001/1_7t4b97qf,
  title = {Data from: Common noctules exploit low levels of the aerosphere},
  author = {O'Mara, MT and Wikelski, M and Kranstauber, B and Dechmann, DKN},
  year = {2019},
  URL = {http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.7t4b97qf},
  doi = {doi:10.5441/001/1.7t4b97qf},
  publisher = {Movebank data repository}
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
ID  - doi:10.5441/001/1.7t4b97qf
T1  - Data from: Common noctules exploit low levels of the aerosphere
AU  - O'Mara, M. Teague
AU  - Wikelski, Martin
AU  - Kranstauber, Bart
AU  - Dechmann, Dina K.N.
Y1  - 2019/02/21
KW  - Nyctalus noctula
KW  - animal foraging
KW  - animal tracking
KW  - bat
KW  - bio-logging
KW  - common noctule
KW  - flight
KW  - movement ecology
KW  - Nyctalus noctula
KW  - wingbeat frequency
KW  - Nyctalus noctula
PB  - Movebank data repository
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.7t4b97qf
DO  - doi:10.5441/001/1.7t4b97qf
ER  -

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