Acta Theriologica

, Volume 53, Issue 3, pp 229–240 | Cite as

Foraging habitats of bats in southern Finland

Article
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

We determined the foraging habitats of the northern batEptesicus nilssonii (Keyserling et Blasius, 1839), Brandt’s batMyotis brandtii (Eversmann, 1845), whiskered batMyotis mystacinus (Kuhl, 1819), Daubenton’s batMyotis daubentonii (Kuhl, 1819) and brown long-eared batPlecotus auritus (Linnaeus, 1758) in southern Finland. Among these species, we compared the diversities of foraging habitats, linear feature preference and the bats’ tendencies to forage simultaneously.Eptesicus nilssonii was the most opportunistic, foraging in a wide range of habitats.Myotis daubentonii (94%) foraged mainly on water habitats, whileM. brandtii/mystacinus (89%) andP. auritus (66%) foraged mainly in forest habitats. The diversities of foraging habitats used byE. nilssonii andP. auritus were higher than those ofM. brandtii/mystacinus andM. daubentonii. Both E.nilssonii andP. auritus foraged mostly alone or in small numbers, whileM. brandtii/mystacinus tended to gather in large numbers to forage in the same habitat. Half ofE. nilssonii and 46% ofM. daubentonii foraged over linear features, while other species did not use linear features to such an extent. Management and conservation of foraging habitats are needed especially forM. brandtii/mystacinus andM. daubentonii, which are more specialized thanE. nilssonii and P. auritus.

Key words

Eptesicus nilssonii Myotis brandtii Myotis mystacinus Myotis daubentonii Plecotus auritus diversities of foraging habitats 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Ahlén I. 1981. Identification of Scandinavian bats by their sounds (Report 6). Swedish Univeristy of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Wildlife Ecology, Uppsala, Sweden: 1–56.Google Scholar
  2. Ahlén I. 1990. Identification of bats in flight. Swedish Society for Conservation of Nature and the Swedish Youth Association for Environmental Studies and Conservation, Stockholm: 1–50.Google Scholar
  3. Ahlén I. and Baagøe H. J. 1999. Use of ultrasound detectors for bat studies in Europe: experiences from field identification, surveys, and monitoring. Acta Chiropterologica 1: 137–150.Google Scholar
  4. Aldridge H. D. J. N. and Rautenbach I. L. 1987. Morphology, echolocation and resource partitioning in insectivorous bats. Journal of Animal Ecology 56: 763–778.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Anderson M. E. and Racey P. A. 1991. Feeding behaviour of captive brown long-eared bats,Plecotus auritus. Animal Behaviour 42: 489–493.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Barataud M. 1990. Eléments sur le comportement alimentaire des Oreillards brun et gris,Plecotus auritus (Linnaeus, 1758) etPlecotus austriacus (Fischer, 1829). Le Rhinolophe 7: 3–10.Google Scholar
  7. Beck A. 1995. Fecal analyses of European bat species. Myotis 32–33: 109–119.Google Scholar
  8. Boonman A. M., Boonman M., Bretschneider F. and van de Grind W. A. 1998. Prey detection in trawling insectivorous bats: duckweed affects hunting behaviour in Daubenton’s bats,Myotis daubentonii. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 44: 99–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Boonman M. 1996. Monitoring bats on their hunting grounds. Myotis 34: 17–25.Google Scholar
  10. Clark B. S., Leslie D. M. and Carter T. S. 1993. Foraging activity of adult female ozark big-eared bats (Plecotus townsendii ingens) in summer. Journal of Mammalogy 74: 422–427.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. de Jong J. 1995. Habitat use and species richness of bats in a patchy landscape. Acta Theriologica 40: 237–248.Google Scholar
  12. de Jong J. and Ahlén I. 1991. Factors affecting the distribution pattern of bats in Uppland, central Sweden. Holartic Ecology 14: 92–96.Google Scholar
  13. Downs N. C. and Racey P. A. 2006. The use by bats of habitat features in mixed farmland in Scotland. Acta Chiropterologica 8: 169–185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Downs N. C. and Racey P. A. 2007. Temporal and spatial differences in the emission of calls by pipistrelle batsPipistrellus pipistrellus andP. pygmaeus. Acta Theriologica 52: 55–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Drebs A., Nordlund A., Karlsson P., Helminen J. and Rissanen P. 2002. Tilastoja Suomen ilmastosta 1971–2000 — Climatological statistics of Finland 1971–2000. Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki: 1–100.Google Scholar
  16. Dunchamp J. E., Sparks D. W. and Whitaker J. O. Jr 2004. Foraging-habitat selection by bats at an urban-rural interface: comparison between a successful and less successful species. Canadian Journal of Zoology 82: 1157–1164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Eklöf J. and Jones G. 2002. Use of vision in prey detection by brown long-eared bats,Plecotus auritus. Animal Behaviour 66: 949–953.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Ekman M. and de Jong J. 1996. Local patterns of distribution and resource utilisation of four bats species (Myotis brandtii, Eptesicus nilssonii, Plecotus auritus andPipistrellus pipistrellus) in patchy and continuous environments. Journal of Zoology, London 238: 571–560.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Entwistle A. C., Racey P. A. and Speakman J. R. 1996. Habitat exploitation by a gleaning bat,Plecotus auritus. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 351B: 921–931.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Fenton M. B. 1990. The foraging behaviour and ecology of animal eating bats. Canadian Journal of Zoology 68: 411–422.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Fenton M. B. 1995a. Natural history and biosonar signals. [In: Hearing by bats. A. N. Popper and R. R. Fay, eds]. Springer-Verlag, New York: 37–86.Google Scholar
  22. Fenton M. B. 1995b. Constraint and flexibility — bats as predators, bats as prey. [In: Ecology, evolution and behaviour of bats. P. A. Racey and S. M. Swift, eds]. Proceedings of Symposia Zoological Society of London 67: 277–289.Google Scholar
  23. Fluckiger P. F. and Beck A. 1995. Observations on the habitat use for hunting byPlecotus austriacus (Fischer, 1829). Myotis 32–33: 121–122.Google Scholar
  24. Furlonger C. L., Dewar H. J. and Fenton M. B. 1987. Habitat use by foraging insectivorous bats. Canadian Journal of Zoology 65: 284–288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Gaisler J., Zukal J., Nesvadboda J., Chytil J. and Obuch J. 1996. Species diversity and relative abundance of small mammals (Insectivora, Chiroptera, Rodentia) in the Palava Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO. Acta Societas Zoologicae Bohemicae 60: 13–23.Google Scholar
  26. Haupt M., Menzler S. and Schmidt S. D. 2006. Felxibility of habitat use inEptesicus nilssonii: Does the species profit from anthropogenically altered habitats? Journal of Mammalogy 87: 351–361.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. Jones G. and Rayner J. M. V. 1988. Flight performance, foraging tactics and echolocation in free-living Daubenton’s batMyotis daubentonii (Chiroptera: Vespertilonidae). Journal of Zoology, London 215: 113–125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Kalko E. K. V. and Braun M. 1991. Foraging areas as an important factor in bat conservation: estimated capture attempt and success rate ofMyotis daubentonii. Myotis 29: 55–60.Google Scholar
  29. Kalko E. K. V and Schnitzler H.-U. 1989. The echolocation and hunting behaviour of Daubenton’s bat,Myotis daubentonii. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 24: 225–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. Kalko E. K. V. and Schnitzler H.-U. 1993. Plasticity in echolocation signals of European pipistrelle bats in search flight: implications for habitat use and prey detection. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 33: 415–428.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. Kapteyn K. 1995. [Bats in the landscape]. Schuyt & Co, Haarlem: 224. [In Dutch]Google Scholar
  32. Kokurewicz T. 1995. Increased population of Daubenton’s batMyotis daubentonii (Kuhl, 1819). (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in Poland. Myotis 32–33: 155–161.Google Scholar
  33. Kunz T. H. 1974. Feeding ecology of a temperate insectivorous bat (Myotis velifer). Ecology 55: 639–711.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. Lesiński G., Kowalski M., Domański J., Dzięciolowski R., Laskowska-Dzięciolowska K. and Dzięgielewska M. 2004. The importance of small cellars to bat hibernation in Poland. Mammalia 68: 345–352.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Magurran A. 2007. Measuring biological diversity. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford: 114–116.Google Scholar
  36. Masing M. 1980. [On the hibernation sites of bats in Estonia]. [In: Bats (Chiroptera). A. P. Kuzjakin and K. Panjutin, eds]. Nauka, Moscow: 196–198. [In Russian]Google Scholar
  37. Mitchell-Jones A. J., Amori G., Bogdanowicz W., Kryštufek B., Reijnders P. J. H., Spitzenberger F., Stubbe M., Thissen J. B. M., Vohralík V. and Zima J. (eds) 1999. The Atlas of European Mammals. T. & A. D. Poyser, London: 110–111, 140–141.Google Scholar
  38. Neuweiler G. 1990. Auditory adaptations for prey capture in echolocating bats. Physiological Reviews 70: 615–641.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  39. Nyholm E. S. 1965. Zür Ökologie vonMyotis mystacinus undM. daubentonii (Chiroptera). Annales Zoologici Fennici 2: 77–123.Google Scholar
  40. Pettersson Elektronik Ab. 2004. Sound analysis programme. Pettersson Elektronik Ab, Uppsala.Google Scholar
  41. Racey P. A. 1998. The importance of the riparian environment as a habitat for British bats. [In: Behaviour and ecology of riparian mammals. N. Dunstone and M. L. Norman, eds]. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London, London 71: 69–91.Google Scholar
  42. Racey P. A. and Swift S. M. 1985. Feeding ecology ofPipistrellus pipistrellus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) during pregnancy and lactation. I. Foraging behaviour. Journal of Animal Ecology 54: 205–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  43. Russ J. 1999. The bats of Britain and Ireland. Echolocation calls, sound analysis, and species identification. Alana Ecology Ltd. Bishops Castle: 1–103.Google Scholar
  44. Russ J. M. and Montgomery W. I. 2002. Habitat associations of bats in Northern Ireland: implications for conservation. Biological Conservation 108: 49–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  45. Russo D. and Jones G. 2003. Use of foraging habitats by bats in a Mediterranean area determined by acoustic surveys: conservation implications. Ecography 26: 197–209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  46. Rydell J. 1986. Foraging and diet of the northern batEptesicus nilssoni in Sweden. Holarctic Ecology 9: 272–276.Google Scholar
  47. Rydell J. 1989. Food habits of northern (Eptesicus nilssoni) and brown long-eared (Plecotus auritus) bats in Sweden. Holarctic Ecology 12: 16–20.Google Scholar
  48. Rydell J. 1991. Seasonal use of illuminated areas by foraging northern batsEptesicus nilssonii. Holartic Ecology 14: 562–565.Google Scholar
  49. Rydell J. 1992. Ocurrence of bats in northernmost Sweden (65°C) and their feeding ecology in summer. Journal of Zoology, London 227: 517–529.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  50. Rydell J., Miller L. A. and Jensen M. E. 1999. Echolocation constraints of Daubenton’s bat foraging over water. Functional Ecology 13: 247–255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  51. Schnitzler H.-U. and Kalko E. K. V. 1998. How echolocating bats search and find food. [In: Bat biology and conservation. T. H. Kunz and P. A. Racey, eds]. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC: 183–196.Google Scholar
  52. Schnitzler H.-U. and Kalko E. K. V. 2001. Echolocation by insecteating bats. Bioscience 51: 557–569.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  53. Schnitzler H.-U., Moss C. F. and Denzinger A. 2003. From spatial orientation to food acquisition in echolocating bats. TRENDS in Ecology and Evolution 18: 366–394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  54. Schober W. and Grimmberger E. 1997. The bats of Europe and North America. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. New Jersey: 1–239.Google Scholar
  55. Shiel C. B., McAney C. M. and Fairley J. S. 1991. Analysis of the diet of Natterer’s batMyotis nattereri and the common long-eared batPlecotus auritus in the west of Ireland. Journal of Zoology, London 223: 299–305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  56. Siemers B. M., Dietz C., Nill D. and Schnitzler H.-U. 2001a.Myotis daubentonii is able to catch small fish. Acta Chiropterologica 3: 71–75.Google Scholar
  57. Siemers B. M., Stilz P. and Schnitzler H.-U. 2001b. The acoustic advantage of hunting at low heights above water: behavioural experiments on the European ‘trawling’ batsMyotis capaccinii, M. dasycneme andM. daubentonii. The Journal of Experimental Biology 204: 3843–3854.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  58. Siivonen L. and Sulkava S. 1999. [Mammals of the North]. Otava: 1–224. [In Finnish]Google Scholar
  59. Siivonen Y. and Wermundsen T. 2003. First records of Myotis dasycneme andPipistrellus pipistrellus in Finland. Vespertilio 7: 177–179.Google Scholar
  60. Siivonen Y. and Wermundsen T. (in press). Distribution of Natterer’s batMyotis nattereri in Finland. Nyctalus.Google Scholar
  61. Siivonen Y. and Wermundsen T. 2008. Characteristics of winter roosts of bats it southern Finland. Mammalia 72: 50–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  62. SPSS Inc. 1989–2005. SPSS for Windows, version 14.0 for Windows. SPSS Inc., Chicago.Google Scholar
  63. Statistics Finland 2005. Land use 1960–1999. Statistical yearbook of Finland 2004. Tilastokeskus, Helsinki: 1–54.Google Scholar
  64. Swift S. M. 1998. Long-eared bats. T. & A. D. Poyser, London: 1–182.Google Scholar
  65. Swift S. M. and Racey P. A. 1983. Resource partitioning in two species of vespertilionid bats (Chiroptera) occupying the same roost. Journal of Zoology, London 200: 249–259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  66. Taake K. H. 1992. Strategien der Ressourcennutzung an Waldgewässern jagender Fledermäuse (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Myotis 30: 7–73.Google Scholar
  67. Ulvi T. and Lakso E. 2005. [Lake management]. Ympäristöopas 114. Edita, Helsinki: 1–336. [In Finnish]Google Scholar
  68. Vaughan N., Jones G. and Harris S. 1997. Habitat use by bats (Chiroptera) assessed by means of a broad-band acoustic method. Journal of Applied Ecology 34: 716–730.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  69. Walsh A. L. and Harris S. 1996a. Foraging habitat preferences of vespertilionid bats in Britain. Journal of Applied Ecology 33: 508–518.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  70. Walsh A. L. and Harris S. 1996b. Factors determining the abundance of vespertilionid bats in Britain. Journal of Applied Ecology 33: 519–529.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  71. Walsh A. L. and Mayle B. A. 1991. Bat activity in different habitats in a mixed lowland woodland. Myotis 29: 97–104.Google Scholar
  72. Wermundsen T. and Siivonen Y. (in press). Factors affecting the distribution of Daubenton’s bat in Finland: comparison with the Northern bat. Myotis.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Mammal Research Institute, Bialowieza, Poland 2008

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Forest EcologyUniversity of HelsinkiFinland
  2. 2.Helsinki University of TechnologyTKKFinland
  3. 3.Faculty of BiosciencesUniversity of HelsinkiFinland

Personalised recommendations