Taxonomy
Myotis nattereri | Natterer's Bat
Distribution
Status
Conservation status
| Range | Favourable |
| Population | Favourable |
| Habitat | Favourable |
| Future Prospects | Favourable |
| Overall Assessment of Conservation Status | Favourable |
| Overall Trend in Conservation Status | N/A |
| Ireland (1) | Least Concern |
| Europe (2) | Least Concern |
| Global (3) | Least Concern |
Legal status
Protected by the following legal instruments:
- Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), Annex IV
- Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) Appendix II
- Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS)
- Wildlife Act (1976)
- Wildlife (Amendment) Act (2000)
- Wildlife (N.I.) Order of 1985
Native status
Native.
Species Biology
Identification
Natterer's Bat is a medium-sized species with relatively long ears.
The ears, if bent forward project beyond the nose, unlike Daubenton's Bat.
Its face also appears long and is pinkish due to sparse hair growth.
The dorsal fur colour is long, shaggy and brownish grey and the venntral is noticeably white.
A row of stiff bristles runs along the edge of the tail membrane.
Another distinctive feature of the Natterer's Bat is an 'S' shaped calcar - the spur that leads from the foot along the edge of the tail membrane.
Source: Conor Kelleher / Bat Conservation Ireland.
Habitat
Natterer's Bat is found in woodlands (deciduous and coniferous), along tree lines and hedgerows, in pasture and over water including white water rapids where it hunts higher than Daubenton's Bat. The species is often recorded during hibernation in underground sites such as caves, souterrains, mines and tunnels where it crawls into cracks and crevices as well as hanging in the open. However, summer roost sites are less frequently encountered. Those that are known are usually in very old stone built buildings, trees or bat or bird boxes and individual animals are sometimes encountered beneath stone bridges.
Source: Conor Kelleher / Bat Conservation Ireland.
Habitats include but are not necessarily limited to;
- Semi-natural woodland (WN) [but probably not Bog woodland (WN7)]
- Highly modified non-native woodland (WD)
- Scrub / transitional woodland (WS)
- Linear woodland / scrub (WL)
- Improved agricultural grassland (GA1)
- Stone walls and other stonework (BL1)
- Building and artificial surfaces (BL3)
- Non-marine caves (EU1)
- Artificial underground habitats (EU2)
- Freshwater (F) [above rather than in.]
- Riparian
Reproduction
In summer, Natterer's Bat can be found both in mixed-sex colonies and separate-sex colonies.
Maternity roost numbers are usually between 30 and 200.
The species sometimes shares its roosts with other species.
In late summer and autumn, this species is known to swarm at cave sites, sometimes in their hundreds.
This behaviour may be associated with mating and the bats travel distances of up to 65 kilometres to reach such sites.
Mating takes place from autumn until spring and the single young is born in June or July. Species longevity is known to reach 20 years.
Source: Conor Kelleher / Bat Conservation Ireland.
Threats faced
| THREAT | ARTICLE 17 THREAT CODE | RANKING |
| Demolishment of buildings & human structures | E06.01 | Medium |
| Forest and Plantation, management & use | B02 | Medium |
| Agricultural intensification | A02.01 | Medium |
| Light Pollution | H06.02 | Medium |
| Roads, motorways | D01.02 | Medium |
Other human intrusions and disturbances | G05 | Medium |
| Continuous urbanisation | E01.01 | Low |
| Diffuse pollution to surface waters due to agricultural and forestry activities | H01.05 | Low |
The 2009 Irish Red List of Terrestrial Mammals also lists the following as a potential threat;
- building and bridge renovations.
Source: Marnell, F. et al 2009.
Conservation actions
In the Article 17 Habitats Directive reporting for the period 2007-2012 no Conservation Measures in place or in the process of being implemented during the period were listed for this species.
Source: NPWS 2013.
The 2009 Irish Red List of Terrestrial Mammals does not suggest any Conservation Actions for the species but does suggest the following;
- Further work on the ecology and roosting behaviour of this species is required to determine whether it is at risk from specific threats.
The global level IUCN Red List suggests the following;
- protection of cave roost sites
In a 2007 All Ireland Species Action Plan for Bats a total of 37 Actions were identified for all bat Irish bat species as part of the plan. This species was included in a 2009-2011 Vesper Bat Threat Response Plan.
Sources: EHS / DEHLG 2007;NPWS 2009.
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Most of western Europe including Ireland and Britain but not usually north of southern Sweden is the main centre of distribution for the species. May be found also in north west Africa, parts of the Levant and east to Iran, Turkemenistan.
Accuracy of world distribution shown in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) map below will be constrained by, amongst other factors, data held but not shared by countries and organizations not participating in the GBIF.
Irish distribution
Widespread but patchy distribution in Ireland, parts of the midlands and Co. Donegal have very few records.
Temporal change
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024
The following map is interactive. If you would prefer to view it full screen then click here.
How can you help
The National Biodiversity Data Centre is trying to improve our knowledge on the distribution of Natterer's Bat in Ireland. Should you observe this bat species, please submit sightings to add to the database. Detailed observations will assist us gaining a better insight into where the species is most abundant in Ireland and we might also be able to detect regional variations. Please submit any sightings and photographs at
http://records.biodiversityireland.ie/index.php
All records submitted on line can be viewed on Google Maps – once checked and validated these will be added to the Mammals of Ireland Database and made available for conservation and research.
Further information
For further information contact Dr. Liam Lysaght llysaght@biodiversityireland.ie
References
Publications
Environments and Heritage Service / Department of Enviroment, Heritage and Local Government (2008) All Ireland Species Action Plan Bats.
Fossitt, J.A. (2001) A Guide to Habitats in Ireland. The Heritage Council.
Hutson, T., Spitzenberger, F., Aulagnier S., 2007. Myotis nattereri. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 06 October 2014.
Hutson, A.M., Aulagnier, S. & Spitzenberger, F. 2008. Myotis nattereri. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 06 October 2014.
Lundy M.G,. Aughney T., Montgomery W.I., Roche N (2011). Landscape conservation for Irish bats & species specific roosting characteristics. Bat Conservation Ireland.
Marnell, F., Kingston, N. & Looney, D. (2009) Ireland Red List No. 3: Terrestrial Mammals, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin, Ireland.
NPWS (2009) Threat Response Plan: Vesper bats (2009-2011). National Parks & Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government,Dublin.
NPWS (2013) The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. Species Assessments Volume 3. Version 1.0. Unpublished Report, National Parks & Wildlife Services. Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin, Ireland.
Roche N., Aughney T., Marnell F. and Lundy M. (2014) Irish Bats in the
21st Century. Bat Conservation Ireland. Virginia, Co. Cavan.