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Long-distance migration is a rare phenomenon in European bats. Genetic analyses and banding studies show that females can cover distances of up to 1,600 km, whereas males are sedentary or migrate only short distances. The onset of this sex-biased migration is supposed to occur shortly after rousing from hibernation and when the females are already pregnant. We therefore predicted that the sexes are exposed to different energetic pressures in early spring, and this should be reflected in their behavior and physiology. We investigated this in one of the three Central European long-distance migrants, the common noctule (Nyctalus noctula) in Southern Germany recording the first individual partial migration tracks of this species. In contrast to our predictions, we found no difference between male and female home range size, activity, habitat use or diet. Males and females emerged from hibernation in similar body condition and mass increase rate was the same in males and females. We followed the first migration steps, up to 475 km, of radio-tagged individuals from an airplane. All females, as well as some of the males, migrated away from the wintering area in the same northeasterly direction. Sex differences in long-distance migratory behavior were confirmed through stable isotope analysis of hair, which showed greater variation in females than in males. We hypothesize that both sexes faced similarly good conditions after hibernation and fattened at maximum rates, thus showing no differences in their local behavior. Interesting results that warrant further investigation are the better initial condition of the females and the highly consistent direction of the first migratory step in this population as summering habitats of the common noctule occur at a broad range in Northern Europe. Only research focused on individual strategies will allow us to fully understand the migratory behavior of European bats.

Over recent years, it became widely accepted that alternative, renewable energy may come at some risk for wildlife, for example, when wind turbines cause large numbers of bat fatalities. To better assess likely populations effects of wind turbine related wildlife fatalities, we studied the geographical origin of the most common bat species found dead below German wind turbines, the noctule bat (Nyctalus noctula). We measured stable isotope ratios of non-exchangeable hydrogen in fur keratin to separate migrants from local individuals, used a linear mixed-effects model to identify temporal, spatial and biological factors explaining the variance in measured stable isotope ratios and determined the geographical breeding provenance of killed migrants using isoscape origin models. We found that 72% of noctule bat casualties (n = 136) were of local origin, while 28% were long-distance migrants. These findings highlight that bat fatalities at German wind turbines may affect both local and distant populations. Our results indicated a sex and age-specific vulnerability of bats towards lethal accidents at turbines, i.e. a relatively high proportion of killed females were recorded among migratory individuals, whereas more juveniles than adults were recorded among killed bats of local origin. Migratory noctule bats were found to originate from distant populations in the Northeastern parts of Europe. The large catchment areas of German wind turbines and high vulnerability of female and juvenile noctule bats call for immediate action to reduce the negative cross-boundary effects of bat fatalities at wind turbines on local and distant populations. Further, our study highlights the importance of implementing effective mitigation measures and developing species and scale-specific conservation approaches on both national and international levels to protect source populations of bats. The efficacy of local compensatory measures appears doubtful, at least for migrant noctule bats, considering the large geographical catchment areas of German wind turbines for this species.

B chromosomes (Bs) are supernumerary to the standard chromosome set, from which they prevalently derive. Variation in numbers both among individuals or populations and among cells within individuals is their constant feature. Leisler’s bat Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1817) is one of only four species of Chiroptera with detected Bs. Four males of N. leisleri were collected from two localities on the territory of Serbia and cytogenetically analysed. All animals had Bs with interindividual variability ranging from two to five heterochromatic micro Bs. The highest number of Bs was detected in this species. Among mammals, Rodentia and Chiroptera are orders with the largest number of species, but Bs frequently appear in rodents and rarely in chiropterans. Possible explanations for this difference are offered.

Vespertilionidae is the bat family with the highest number of species and has been studied for years using various methods such as morphology, mitochondrial, and nuclear DNA. However, the taxonomy and systematics of several groups within this family remain controversial, and many relationships are still unresolved. In this study, complete mitochondrial data (15.797–16.719 base pairs) of Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus nathusii were presented with the gene characteristics, and it was also aimed to reveal the phylogenetic relationship between Pipistrellus and Nyctalus . In this context, Eastern Pipistrellus species ( P. coromandra , P. abramus , together with Glischropus bucephalus ) were located distantly from Western Pipistrellus ( P. pipistrellus , P. pygmaeus , P. kuhlii , and P. nathusii ) and Nyctalus ( N. noctula , N. aviator , and N. plancyi ) species, with the mean genetic distance ( d ) values of 15.9–17.0% between these three lineages. On the other hand, P. nathusii showed a closer relationship with Nyctalus than with Pipistrellus . The genetic distances indicate that Nyctalus , Western Pipistrellus , and the Eastern Pipistrellus lineage (e.g., Alionoctula ) may represent three distinct genus-level lineages suggesting that the genus Pipistrellus in its current definition may be paraphyletic. Moreover, the d value of 0.03% between N. noctula and N. plancyi supports the subspecies status of N. plancyi .

Migration is a life-history trait that shapes individual-by-environment interactions, affecting fitness. Currently, many species are changing their migration strategies, stressing the need to identify and better understand the behavioral correlates of migration. As a partial migrant, the noctule bat, Nyctalus noctula, allows for rare intra-specific investigations of the potential behavioral causes (or consequences) of variation in migration. Here, we combined in-situ behavioral assays with stable isotope analyses to investigate whether spatial and acoustic responses to a roost-like novel environment correlate with migration strategy (local or distant). Given a migrant’s more frequent exposure to novel environments, we predicted migrants would enter a novel environment more quickly and show stronger spatial and acoustic exploration activity. However, individuals of local and distant origin did not differ in acoustic exploration (call activity per unit space), nor, contrasting to several bird studies, in spatial activity (number of chambers visited). Surprisingly, local individuals were more likely than migrants to enter the novel environment. Our findings suggest that small-scale exploration does not vary with migration, potentially because of similar selection pressures across migration strategies on small-scale exploration (e.g., exploration of roosts) as opposed to large-scale. Yet, our findings on the likelihood of entering a novel environment suggest that locals may be more risk-taking. Repeated measures would be necessary to determine if personality differences are underlying these responses. Our unique approach, combining behavioral assays with isotopic geolocation, gave us novel insight into an elusive taxon, highlighting the importance of studying behavioral correlates of migration across various taxa.Significance StatementThe decision to migrate impacts both individual fitness and ecosystem connectivity, yet we know very little about the behavioral correlates of migration strategies. Studying such correlates is the first step to identifying the behavioral causes and consequences of migration. Here, we took advantage of a partially migratory species, the common noctule bat, and a unique measure of acoustic exploration, to test potential correlations between migration strategy and small-scale emergence and exploration. We found local individuals more likely to enter a novel environment than migrants and that migration strategy did not predict acoustic exploration. This is the first study examining novel environment responses and migration in bats and reveals contrasting behavioral correlates of migration compared to other taxa. Our research, therefore, highlights the importance of including more non-model species in the study of the causes and consequences of animal migration.

New and old data on all 16 bat species recorded in Orenburg oblast, Southern Urals, Russia, including places and dates of their records, their relative abundances and occurrences, their age and sex compositions, the pattern of their stay, and their distribution, and environmental status, are summarized. The species Vespertilio murinus , Pipistrellus nathusii , Nyctalus noctula , Myotis dasycneme , M. daubentonii , and probably Eptesicus serotinus are particularly widespread and abundant in Orenburg oblast (92.1% of all trapped bats). Two other species, Plecotus auritus and Myotis brandtii , are widespread, but with low abundance (3.6% of all captured individuals). Four species ( Myotis davidii , Eptesicus nilssonii , Nyctalus leisleri , and Pipistrellus kuhlii ) (3.7%) are rare and distributed locally, and Nyctalus lasiopterus , Myotis nattereri , Pipistrellus pygmaeus , and Myotis mystacinus (0.6%) are very rare. Compared to other Ural regions, Orenburg oblast supports a greater diversity of bats, which is primarily determined by the greater variety of natural and landscape conditions and a more southerly location. The bat fauna of Orenburg oblast, as well as the bat fauna of the Volga region, Cis-Urals, and Urals, are a transboundary Eurasian variant of the East European bat complex, which includes Central Asian species, in addition to European ones. The data of our research indicate that the territory of Orenburg oblast encompasses the range limits of nine bat species. The southern limits of the range are identified for Myotis nattereri , M. mystacinus , and Eptesicus nilssonii , the northern limits for Pipistrellus kuhlii , Eptesicus serotinus , and Myotis davidii , and the eastern limits for Nyctalus lasiopterus , N. leisleri , and Pipistrellus pygmaeus . All the species living at the range borders are rare in Orenburg oblast and recommended for being included in the regional Red Data Book.

Bat-associated hantaviruses have been detected in Asia, Africa and Europe. Recently, a novel hantavirus (Brno loanvirus, BRNV) was identified in common noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula) in the Czech Republic, but nothing is known about its geographical range and prevalence. The objective of this study was to evaluate the distribution and host specificity of BRNV by testing bats from neighbouring countries Germany, Austria and Poland. One thousand forty-seven bats representing 21 species from Germany, 464 bats representing 18 species from Austria and 77 bats representing 12 species from Poland were screened by L segment broad-spectrum nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or by BRNV-specific real-time RT-PCR. Three common noctules from Germany, one common noctule from Austria and three common noctules from Poland were positive in the hantavirus RNA screening. Conventional RT-PCR and primer walking resulted in the amplification of partial L segment and (almost) complete S and M segment coding sequences for samples from Germany and partial L segment sequences for samples from Poland. Phylogenetic analysis of these nucleotide sequences showed highest similarity to BRNV from Czech Republic. The exclusive detection of BRNV in common noctules from different countries suggests high host specificity. The RNA detection rate in common noctules ranged between 1 of 207 (0.5%; Austria), 3 of 245 (1.2%; Germany) and 3 of 20 (15%; Poland). In conclusion, this study demonstrates a broader distribution of BRNV in common noctules in Central Europe, but at low to moderate prevalence. Additional studies are needed to prove the zoonotic potential of this hantavirus and evaluate its transmission within bat populations.

The ring-necked parakeet Psittacula krameri (Aves: Psittaciformes) is a widely distributed species of Asian and African origin, which occurs with over 40 alien populations in the rest of the world. Most established populations of this species are showing a clear trend of territorial expansion and numerical growth. Recent reviews highlighted that one of the main impacts by alien ring-necked parakeets is the competition with threatened bat species using trunk cavities as roosts. In Italy, the only known reproductive population of Nyctalus bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) occurs in an urban area in the central part of the country, surrounded by increasing and expanding populations of ring-necked parakeets. In this work, we updated the population status of both ring-necked and Alexandrine parakeets and breeding noctule bats in the region. Then, we ran a species distribution model using Maxent software to analyze the environmental suitability of the region for the ring-necked parakeet and a connectivity model using Circuitscape software to predict the possibility of its expansion in the area occupied by breeding noctule bats. We recorded a high number of individual parakeets and breeding colonies, together with a remarkable noctule population decline, from about 400 to about 120 individuals, in the last 20 years, possibly due to urban green management practices. Although some ring-necked parakeets have already been observed in the study area, there is no evidence of reproduction in the surroundings of the noctule colony. However, our model showed a high environmental suitability for the ring-necked parakeet in the area occupied by breeding noctules. As well, the connectivity model showed the potential for a direct flow of individuals from the main urban centers to the area used by noctule bats. The arrival of alien parakeets to the area occupied by the bat breeding colony should be tightly monitored by surveying the suitable areas for this bird, as well as the identified ecological corridors. Early detection of new invasions, together with a sustainable urban green management practice, may prevent the extinction of the southernmost breeding colony of the common noctule.

Artificial light at night has shown a remarkable increase over the past decades. Effects are reported for many species groups, and include changes in presence, behaviour, physiology and life-history traits. Among these, bats are strongly affected, and how bat species react to light is likely to vary with light colour. Different spectra may therefore be applied to reduce negative impacts. We used a unique set-up of eight field sites to study the response of bats to three different experimental light spectra in an otherwise dark and undisturbed natural habitat. We measured activity of three bat species groups around transects with light posts emitting white, green and red light with an intensity commonly used to illuminate countryside roads. The results reveal a strong and spectrum-dependent response for the slow-flying Myotis and Plecotus and more agile Pipistrellus species, but not for Nyctalus and Eptesicus species. Plecotus and Myotis species avoided white and green light, but were equally abundant in red light and darkness. The agile, opportunistically feeding Pipistrellus species were significantly more abundant around white and green light, most likely because of accumulation of insects, but equally abundant in red illuminated transects compared to dark control. Forest-dwelling Myotis and Plecotus species and more synanthropic Pipistrellus species are thus least disturbed by red light. Hence, in order to limit the negative impact of light at night on bats, white and green light should be avoided in or close to natural habitat, but red lights may be used if illumination is needed.