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Abstract The majority of the birds in different habitats are stressed due to alteration in multiple climate factors contributing to their loss. The present study has been planned to find the roosts composition of passerine birds in different major and sub-habitats of Punjab, Pakistan. In Faisalabad, of the four species, the higher number of exits was almost comparable, while Passer domesticus and Pastor roseus were more abundant than Tachycinet bicolor and Lanius cristatus. For the three remaining birds, total exits and returns were 180 for P. roseus, 181 for T. bicolor, and 179 for L. cristatus, respectively. Considering the exits in morning hours, a total of 314, 256, 246 and 210, were recorded from Sheikhupura. In Khanewal, of the four species, the highest exits and returns were that of P. domesticus (407; 451), followed by that of the P. roseus (273; 336), T. bicolor (242; 319) and L. cristatus (220; 397). The temperature imposed serious effects on roost exits for the four birds. The varied P-values which were higher (< 0.001***, < 0.001***, 0.002 **, <0.001***) appeared to limit the roost exits for them. Nonetheless, the impact of relative humidity exerted a strong influence on the T. bicolor (0.003**). In roosts return, it was seen that roost returns were even likely in warm temperatures and precipitation did not impose seriously on returns, and even in light rainfall. Nonetheless, relative humidity (RH) strongly impacted the sparrow. The T. bicolor and L. cristatus were adversely affected with the slopes (1.37) and (2.06), indicated with each percentage increase of relative humidity, and slope variations became least. Resumo A maioria das aves em diferentes habitats está estressada devido à alteração em vários fatores climáticos que contribuem para sua perda. O presente estudo foi planejado para encontrar a composição dos poleiros de aves passeriformes em diferentes, grandes e sub-habitats de Punjab, no Paquistão. Em Faisalabad, das quatro espécies, tem-se que o maior número de saídas foi quase comparável, enquanto que as espécies Passer domesticus e Pastor roseus foram mais abundantes que Tachycinet bicolor e Lanius cristatus. Para as três aves restantes, o total de saídas e retornos foi de 180 para P. roseus, 181 para T. bicolor e 179 para L. cristatus, respectivamente. Considerando as saídas nas horas da manhã, um total de 314, 256, 246 e 210 foi registrado de Sheikhupura. Em Khanewal, das quatro espécies, as maiores saídas e retornos foram de P. domesticus (407; 451), seguidas de P. roseus (273; 336), T. bicolor (242; 319) e L. cristatus (220; 397). A temperatura impôs sérios efeitos nas saídas dos poleiros para as quatro aves. Os maiores valores de p variados (< 0,001***, < 0,001***, 0,002 **, <0,001***) pareceram limitar as saídas de poleiro para os pássaros. No entanto, o impacto da Umidade Relativa (UR) exerceu forte influência sobre o T. bicolor (0,003**). Com relação ao retorno dos poleiros, verificou-se que esses retornos eram até prováveis em temperaturas quentes, visto que a precipitação não foi um fator extremamente determinante para os retornos, mesmo em chuvas fracas. No entanto, a UR impactou fortemente o pardal. O T. bicolor e L. cristatus foram prejudicados com as declividades (1,37) e (2,06), que foram indicadas a cada percentual de aumento de UR, ao passo que as variações de declividade tornaram-se menores.

Background Bats are a reservoir for many viruses causing haemorrhagic fevers. Proximity to bats is a risk factor for virus spillover to animals and humans. We conducted this study to assess knowledge, perceptions, and exposure to bats in communities living near bat roosts in Bundibugyo District, Uganda. Methods A cross-sectional study using mixed methods with both quantitative and qualitative data was conducted between September and December 2022. Participants for the quantitative data (survey) ( n  = 384) resided near bat caves and/or roost sites and were selected using multistage random sampling. The survey investigated participants’ prior exposure to bats, as well as knowledge and perceptions of bat exposure. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with bat exposure. Participants for the qualitative data (focus group discussions) ( n  = 10, 6–8 participants each) were purposely selected based on engagement in guano mining, hunting, and farming activities. Perceived risk associated with bat-related activities were identified and ranked in the focus group discussions using participatory epidemiology tools. Results In total, (214/384, 55.7%) had a history of bat exposure and (208/384, 54.2%) had poor knowledge of risk factors associated with bat exposure. Increased exposure to bats was associated with being male (OR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.0, 2.4 p -value = 0.038), staying in urban areas (OR = 1.9; p -value = 0.010), hunting (OR = 10.9; p -value = 0.024), and positive perception to bat guano being safe as fertiliser (OR = 2.5; p -value = 0.045). During the proportional piling process, a total of 7 risk factors were identified by 10 groups with hunting during an outbreak and consumption of bats being the most frequently identified. Overall, there was a strong statistical agreement in the ranking across the 10 focus groups (W = 0.52; p  < 0.01; n  = 10). Based on the provided data, the adjusted odds ratio of 0.7 for the good measures ( p -value = 0.112), suggests a potential protective effect on the risk of bat exposure. Conclusion Communities living around bat roosts frequently come into contact with bats, yet there is inadequate awareness regarding the behaviors that can lead to the transmission of bat- borne diseases to humans. It is essential to undertake educational initiatives and preventive measures to minimise the risks of bat-related infections. The need for targeted health communication and education efforts to address these knowledge gaps and promote an accurate understanding of bats and disease transmission. Understanding of diseases associated with bats will minimize bat-related health risks especially in communities engaged in wildlife hunting.

Abstract Many hibernating bats in thermally stable, subterranean roosts have experienced precipitous declines from white-nose syndrome (WNS). However, some WNS-affected species also use thermally unstable roosts during winter that may impact their torpor patterns and WNS susceptibility. From November to March 2017–19, we used temperature-sensitive transmitters to document winter torpor patterns of tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) using thermally unstable roosts in the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Daily mean roost temperature was 12.9 ± 4.9°C SD in bridges and 11.0 ± 4.6°C in accessible cavities with daily fluctuations of 4.8 ± 2°C in bridges and 4.0 ± 1.9°C in accessible cavities and maximum fluctuations of 13.8 and 10.5°C, respectively. Mean torpor bout duration was 2.7 ± 2.8 days and was negatively related to ambient temperature and positively related to precipitation. Bats maintained non-random arousal patterns focused near dusk and were active on 33.6% of tracked days. Fifty-one percent of arousals contained passive rewarming. Normothermic bout duration, general activity and activity away from the roost were positively related to ambient temperature, and activity away from the roost was negatively related to barometric pressure. Our results suggest ambient weather conditions influence winter torpor patterns of tricolored bats using thermally unstable roosts. Short torpor bout durations and potential nighttime foraging during winter by tricolored bats in thermally unstable roosts contrasts with behaviors of tricolored bats in thermally stable roosts. Therefore, tricolored bat using thermally unstable roosts may be less susceptible to WNS. More broadly, these results highlight the importance of understanding the effect of roost thermal stability on winter torpor patterns and the physiological flexibility of broadly distributed hibernating species. Many hibernating bats have experienced precipitous declines from white-nose syndrome (WNS). However, some WNS-affected species use roosts which may impact their winter behavior (e.g., activity and torpor patterns) and WNS susceptibility. Our results suggest tri-colored bats using thermally unstable roosts may be less susceptible to WNS because of their winter behavior and roost characteristics.

The greater noctule ( Nyctalus lasiopterus ) is a threatened tree-roosting bat species with a fragmented distribution, possibly due to limited roosting habitat. Deforestation, tree disease and climate change are reducing forest and roost availability. Effective conservation action and forest management require detailed knowledge of the bats’ roosting behaviour and requirements, which is lacking for this species, particularly in southern European forests. We studied the roosting behaviour of 25 radio-tagged females from three maternity colonies in the forest and the urban environment, as well as 11 males from a forest mating site in Spain. We found similar behaviour and roost group sizes (14–18 individuals) for both sexes in the forest, where bats mainly roosted in woodpecker holes in larger trees of abundant tree species. Bats switched between many roosts (0.2–0.3 roosts d −1 ) across large forest areas (up to 1300 ha). At the urban site, females rarely switched between four exotic palm tree roosts, with roost group sizes reaching 144 individuals. Despite its adaptability, N. lasiopterus may require large forest roosting areas that provide a greater roost diversity, aiding thermoregulation and predator avoidance. Conservation efforts should focus on protecting large forests with high woodpecker abundance to ensure roost availability, supported by artificial bat roosts.

Abstract Behavioural syndromes are composed of correlated suites of personality traits and can include traits related to the behaviour and ecology of free-ranging animals. We used captive little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) to test the hypothesis that behaviours measured in standardized tests reflect personality traits and form behavioural syndromes with roosting behaviours. We predicted: (1) measured behaviours would be repeatable; (2) personality traits and roosting behaviours would form behavioural syndromes; and (3) individuals with similar personality scores would associate more strongly. We observed repeatability for some traits and evidence of behavioural syndromes. Activity was strongly repeatable across time and contexts. More central individuals roosted in larger groups, while individuals with high roost-fidelity roosted in larger groups. Individuals with similar activity scores were also more likely to associate in day roosts, suggesting some behavioural assortment. Our results have implications for how behavioural variation might influence transmission of white-nose syndrome.

We review how different bat guilds respond to artificial light at night (ALAN) and assess how the impacts can vary according to ecological context. All studied European species respond negatively to ALAN close to roosts and drinking sites, and the impacts occur across a wide range of light colors and intensities. Most bat species are sensitive to ALAN when commuting and foraging. Although narrow-space-foraging bat species consistently avoid ALAN when foraging, open and edge-space-foraging species may exploit insects lured by ALAN. Therefore, ALAN acts as an environmental filter on bat assemblages. Considering the detrimental effect of ALAN on insects, we conclude that ALAN probably has negative impacts on all bat species, even on those foraging at streetlights. The sprawl of ALAN may be a key factor driving the decline of bat diversity globally, and the current trajectory of increasing ALAN is therefore of considerable concern for bat conservation.

Tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) that roost in subterranean hibernacula have experienced precipitous declines from white-nose syndrome (WNS); however, understudied populations also use during winter non-subterranean roosts such as tree cavities, bridges, and foliage. Our objectives were to determine winter roost use by tricolored bats in an area devoid of subterranean roosts, determine roost microclimates to relate them to growth requirements of the fungal causal agent of WNS, and determine habitat factors influencing winter tree selection. From November to March 2017–2019, we used radiotelemetry to track 15 bats to their day roosts in the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina and recorded microclimates in accessible tree cavities and bridges. We also characterized habitat and tree characteristics of 24 used trees and 153 random, available trees and used discrete choice models to determine selection. Roost structures included I-beam bridges, cavities in live trees, and foliage. Bridges were warmer and less humid than cavities. Roost temperatures often were amenable to fungal growth (< 19.5°C) but fluctuated widely depending on ambient temperatures. Bats used bridges on colder days (8.7°C ± 5.0 SD) and trees on warmer days (11.3°C ± 5.4). Bats selected low-decay trees closer to streams in areas with high canopy closure and cavity abundance. Bats also appeared to favor hardwood forests and avoid pine forests. Our results suggest that access to multiple roost microclimates might be important for tricolored bats during winter, and forest management practices that retain live trees near streams and foster cavity formation in hardwood forests likely will benefit this species. Our results also suggest tricolored bats using bridge and tree roosts might be less susceptible to WNS than bats using subterranean hibernaculum roosts. Thus, forests in areas without subterranean hibernacula in the southeastern United States that support bats during winter might represent important refugia from WNS for multiple species.

Several biodiversity‐centered metrics exist to quantify the importance of landscape and habitat features for conservation efforts. However, for species whose habitat use is not quantified by these metrics, such as those in urban areas, we need a method to best identify features for targeted conservation efforts. We investigated the use of social network analysis (SNA) to identify and quantify these critical habitat features. We used SNA to identify network existence in chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica) roost usage, quantify the importance of each roost site, and evaluate the impact of the loss of key sites. We identified a network consisting of ten chimney swift roosts in southern Nova Scotia, Canada, and found that 76% of swifts used more than one roost throughout the breeding season. We also isolated three key (most connected) roost sites. We evaluated the effect of loss of these key sites on the network by using a Wilcoxon‐Pratt signed‐rank test and by analyzing the structure of the subsequent network. We found that connections between roosts and the structure of the network were significantly affected by the loss of these key sites. Our results show that SNA is a valuable tool that can identify key sites for targeted conservation efforts for species that may not be included in conservation efforts focused purely on biodiversity. Social network analysis (SNA) reveals that roost sites separated by hundreds of kilometers form a spatial network for Chimney Swifts, a species long believed to have fidelity to single roosts. SNA has never been applied to the spatial ecology of wildlife in this way and promises to aid in identifying sites in greatest need of conservation.

White‐nose syndrome (WNS) has caused the death of millions of bats, but the impacts have been more difficult to identify in western North America. Understanding how WNS, or other threats, impacts western bats may require monitoring other roosts, such as maternity roosts and night roosts, where bats aggregate in large numbers. Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) are experiencing some of the greatest declines from WNS. Estimating survival and understanding population dynamics can provide valuable data for assessing population declines and informing conservation efforts. We conducted a 5‐year mark–recapture study of two M. lucifugus roosts in Colorado. We used the robust design model to estimate apparent survival, fidelity, and abundance to understand population dynamics, and environmental covariates to understand how summer and winter weather conditions impact adult female survival. We compared the fidelity and capture probability of M. lucifugus between colonies to understand how bats use such roosts. Overwinter survival increased with the number of days with temperatures below freezing (β > 0.100, SE = 0.003) and decreased with the number of days with snow cover (β < −0.40, SE < 0.13). Adult female fidelity was higher at one maternity roost than the other. Overwinter and oversummer adult female survival was high (>0.90), and based on survival estimates and fungal‐swabbing results, we believe these populations have yet to experience WNS. Recapture of M. lucifugus using antennas that continuously read passive integrated transponder tags allows rigorous estimation of bat population parameters that can elucidate trends in abundance and changes in survival. Monitoring populations at summer roosts can provide unique population ecology data that monitoring hibernacula alone may not. Because few adult males are captured at maternity colonies, and juvenile males have low fidelity, additional effort should focus on understanding male M. lucifugus population dynamics. This is a mark–recapture analysis of little brown bat populations at two summer roosts to understand abundance, survival, and fidelity. At the maternity colony, adult females showed high survival and fidelity, while another colony that may serve as a maternity, day, and night roosts had lower estimates of fidelity.