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1 December 2007 WINTER ACTIVITY OF BATS OVER WATER AND ALONG FLYWAYS IN NEW MEXICO
Keith Geluso
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Abstract

During colder months in temperate regions, non-migratory bats are suspected to remain relatively inactive during hibernation. I examined activity of bats November–March in a region of North America with moderate winter temperatures. Bats were captured in nets over water and along flyways in southern and central New Mexico. In 47 nights, I captured 401 individuals representing 12 species. Captures for 10 species represent records of bats previously unknown outside roosts during colder months in New Mexico. The western pipistrelle (Pipistrellus hesperus), silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans), California myotis (Myotis californicus), pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus), and Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) were captured frequently, whereas the western small-footed myotis (M. ciliolabrum), Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii), big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), Allen's big-eared bat (Idionycteris phyllotis), hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), fringed myotis (M. thysanodes), and Arizona myotis (M. occultus) were captured infrequently. Except for A. pallidus, I documented many individuals of the commonly captured species feeding November–March, and I also saw many individuals drinking during those months. Body masses of most species were lowest in March. During the study, activity of bats was positively, but not significantly, correlated with ambient air temperature at dusk. In this region of North America, many individuals of several species do not hibernate for the entire winter nor do they migrate from the region.

Keith Geluso "WINTER ACTIVITY OF BATS OVER WATER AND ALONG FLYWAYS IN NEW MEXICO," The Southwestern Naturalist 52(4), 482-492, (1 December 2007). https://doi.org/10.1894/0038-4909(2007)52[482:WAOBOW]2.0.CO;2
Received: 14 April 2006; Accepted: 1 March 2007; Published: 1 December 2007
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