We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Autumn flight activity of the greater horseshoe bat at hibernacula.
- Authors
Tinglei Jiang; Xiaobin Huang; Hui Wu; Hongjun Lin; Joseph Hoyt; Müller, Rolf; Jiang Feng
- Abstract
The activity patterns of vespertilionid bats at the entrances of hibernacula in temperate zones have been investigated on many occasions. However, little is known about nocturnal flight activity in autumn and its function in horseshoe bats so far. Here, we have recorded the autumn flight activity in and around the entrances of hibernacula of greater horseshoe bats, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum by behavioural observations, mistnetting, and acoustic surveys for two consecutive years. Greater horseshoe bats not only chased each other around cave entrances but also entered and left the entrance frequently. However, no mating events were directly observed in this study, normally a prominent part of swarming behaviour in vespertilionids. Therefore, it is difficult to deduce the function of the autumn flight activity of the greater horseshoe bats at hibernacula from the present data. Additionally, the recorded flight activity was positively correlated with ambient temperature and humidity. To our knowledge, our study provides the first detailed record of the pattern of autumn flight activity in horseshoe bats, and suggests that weather conditions may impact the bats' nocturnal flight activity.
- Subjects
HORSESHOE bats; HIBERNACULA (Animal habitations); VESPERTILIONIDAE; NOCTURNAL animal activity; PHYSIOLOGICAL effects of weather
- Publication
Animal Biology, 2016, Vol 66, Issue 2, p119
- ISSN
1570-7555
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1163/15707563-00002494