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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Identifying Brown Long Eared Bats in the open (1 Viewer)

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gyrfalcon

Forum Member
Anyone got any clues to identifing Brown Long Eared Bats in the open?!
They are one of the commonest UK species, but the one I have least experience with in the field.
Have had plenty of presumed sightings where I have seen a bat gleaning on leaves right in front of me briefly, but no signal on the bat detector. Anyone got more clues to emergence time, feeding habits, habitat, jizz etc?!

Peter
 
Failing to pick them up on your bat detector as they fly slowly over your head seems to be a good feature - the kind of range where a Myotis or Pipistrelle would deafen you!
 
yes, its the only way I know, but it seems so "negative"! and I guess its our instinct to look for a positive means to identification!
 
The flight looks distinctive - well I think it does, less frantic. What I need to do is go and stake out a known colony and make sure the features do hold up!
 
Jane Turner said:
Failing to pick them up on your bat detector as they fly slowly over your head seems to be a good feature - the kind of range where a Myotis or Pipistrelle would deafen you!
Click to expand...

Is this because they are not using sonar at that time or because it is not picked up for some reason?
 
You can hear them in confined spaces, e.g. lofts or barns where they are roosting. The only roost i know is a church which is in such a lousy location right on a main road, that returning there would be a bit too much hassle.
 
rozinante; said:
Does this mean that they are targeting prey from closer range?
Click to expand...

I guess so... one of the things that always puzzle me is how bats don't deafen each other with the noise they make!
 
James Blake said:
Haven't tried looking for these yet.

Isn't it possible to see the ears?
Click to expand...

It's hard enough seeing the bat! I have seen ears once, on a day flying one presumably disturbed from it's roost. and I think you can see them as they crawl in and out of roost holes, but don't think they are obvious in flight.
 
gyrfalcon said:
It's hard enough seeing the bat! I have seen ears once, on a day flying one presumably disturbed from it's roost. and I think you can see them as they crawl in and out of roost holes, but don't think they are obvious in flight.
Click to expand...

If its light enough for silhouetting you should, they are erect in flight but folded back after landing.

John
 
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