Similar is not the same: Social calls of conspecifics are more effective in attracting wild bats to day roosts than those of other bat species |
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Authors: | Caroline Regina Schöner Michael Gerhard Schöner Gerald Kerth |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany 2. Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany 3. Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany
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Abstract: | Many bat species regularly need to find new day roosts as they require numerous shelters each breeding season. It has been
shown that bats exchange information about roosts among colony members, and use echolocation and social calls of conspecifics
in order to find roosts. However, it is unclear if wild bats discriminate between social calls of conspecifics and other bat
species while searching for roosts. Furthermore, the extent that bats are attracted to potential roosts by each of these two
call types is unknown. We present a field experiment showing that social calls of conspecifics and other bat species both
attract bats to roosts. During two summers, we played back social calls of Bechstein’s bats (Myotis bechsteinii) and Natterer’s bats (Myotis nattereri) from different bat boxes that can serve as roosts for these species. All experimental bat boxes were monitored with infrared
video to identify the approaching bat species. Three species (M. bechsteinii, M. nattereri, and Plecotus auritus) approached the boxes significantly more often during nights when bat calls were played compared to nights without playbacks.
Bechstein’s bats and Natterer’s bats were both more attracted to social calls of conspecifics than of the other species, whereas
P. auritus did not discriminate between calls of either Myotis species. Only Bechstein’s bats entered experimental boxes and only at times when calls from conspecifics were played. Our
findings show that wild bats discriminate between social calls of conspecifics and other bat species although they respond
to both call types when searching for new roosts. |
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