Gray long-eared bat

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SS2626889

JA8710

A Gray Long-eared bat (Plecutus austriacus) emerging from a woodpecker cavity. It is found only in Europe, ranging from Portugal to Moldova and from from Denmark to Greece. These bats are often solitary but form nursery colonies of 10 to 30 females. This is a relatively sedentary species that occupies a wide variety of roosts and habitats. In summer, it roosts mostly in tree cavities and buildings and may also use caves during winter hibernation. It feeds mostly on moths in lowland valleys, including in agricultural landscapes. It is very similar to the Brown long-eared bat, from which it was first distinguished in the 1960s.

MerlinTuttle.org / Science Source