Fly-and-forage strategy in the bat Pipistrellus nathusii during autumn migration
Populations of Pipistrellus nathusii (Nathusius's bat), an insectivorous aerial-hawking species that breeds in north-eastern Europe, perform long-distance migrations between breeding sites and hibernation areas in central and southern Europe. The feeding strategy of migrating P nathusii was inv...
| Published in: | Acta Chiropterologica |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/3577361 https://doi.org/10.3161/150811012X661693 |
| Summary: | Populations of Pipistrellus nathusii (Nathusius's bat), an insectivorous aerial-hawking species that breeds in north-eastern Europe, perform long-distance migrations between breeding sites and hibernation areas in central and southern Europe. The feeding strategy of migrating P nathusii was investigated in Latvia on the east coast of the Baltic Sea, exploring evidence for and against two non-mutually exclusive predictions that i) the bats feed shortly after dusk at highest aerial insect activity and continue to migrate thereafter or ii) apply a 'fly-and-forage' strategy and frequently interrupt their migration flight to feed. Echolocation calls and feeding buzzes of P. nathusii were recorded throughout the night from August until September on a known migration flyway over coastal dunes and at potential foraging sites in adjacent woodlands, over meadows and wetlands. The results indicate that P. nathusii applies a fly-and-forage strategy along the Baltic coast. However, a threshold in aerial insect availability may exist, below which no foraging occurs and migration continues. |
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