Bats surf storm fronts during spring migration

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Publication Date

1-3-2025

Publication Title

Science

Volume Number

387

Issue Number

6729

Abstract

Long-distance migration, common in passerine birds, is rare and poorly studied in bats. Piloting a 1.2-gram IoT (Internet of Things) tag with onboard processing, we tracked the daily location, temperature, and activity of female common noctules ( Nyctalus noctula ) during spring migration across central Europe up to 1116 kilometers. Over 3 years, 71 bats migrated tens to hundreds of kilometers per night, predominantly with incoming warm fronts, which provided them with wind support. Bats also showed unexpected flexibility in their ability to migrate across a wide range of conditions if needed. However, females leaving toward the end of the season showed higher total activity per distance traveled, a possible cost for their flexible migration timing.

Document Type

Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ade7441

Language

English

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