This medium-sized bat has characteristically big ears, which are nearly as long as its body.
The brown long-eared bat is also known as the 'whispering bat', due to its quiet echolocation.
Brown long-eared bat facts
Scientific name: Plecotus auritus
Family: Vespertilionidae
Diet: Moths, spiders, flies, earwigs and beetles
Predators: Birds of prey and domestic cats
Size: 3.7-5.2cm with a 20-30cm wingspan
Weight: 6-12g
Lifespan: 4-5 years
Brown long-eared bats and our canals
Brown long-eared bats roost by canals lined with trees, or close to woodland areas. They also find safety in old buildings and infrastructure, including WWII pillboxes found along towpaths.
They use their long ears (which measure around 2.8cm) to navigate and find their preferred food of bugs, beetles and spiders. Because of their sizeable ears, they have a quiet, almost silent voice, which gives them their nickname the 'whispering bat'.
Brown long-eared bats are strictly protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, meaning it is illegal to hurt, kill or capture them, or disturb their roosting areas.
Whether you're by a canal in the city or countryside, you'll have a good chance of spotting one with our top tips
What do brown long-eared bats look like?
Brown long-eared bats are medium sized, with light brown fur and a pale underside. Their ears are charactiersically long and wide, and protrude upwards.
They look similar to the rarer grey long-eared bat - but these are a slightly larger species, with grey fur and a darker face.
What do brown long-eared bats eat?
This species is fond of moths, spiders, flies, earwigs and beetles.
While you can see bats on most of our waterways, here are the best places
How do brown long-eared bats hunt?
Brown long-eared bats primarily hunt during a long flight shortly after sunset. They will also take intermittent flights throughout the night, before returning to roost ahead of sunrise.
As well as eating on the wing, they also 'glean' for food - meaning they use their hearing to listen for insects crawling around, and pick them straight off the plant or ground.
The flight of the brown long-eared bat is fairly slow and fluttery, and they often follow linear paths like canals, fences or hedgerows, This is in contrast to the common pipistrelle, which darts erratically in search of prey.
When do brown long-eared bats breed?
Mating occurs during the autumn months, but female bats can delay their pregnancies until spring, when they gather in maternity roosts. These maternity roots contain groups of up to 30 pregnant bats, and, unlike other bat species, the males are also present.
Brown long-eared bat pups are born between the end of June and start of July, and become independent at six weeks old.
Other UK bat species
Do brown long-eared hibernate?
Yes. Brown long-eared bats hibernate from November to April, when air temperatures drop and insect numbers decrease. They opt for dark, quiet spaces in the depths of tunnels, caves and mines, or sometimes deep in tree crevices or old buildings.
Threats to brown long-eared bats
Brown long-eared bats are one of the most common and widespread bat species in the UK, and it's unclear as to whether their numbers are increasing or decreasing. Like most bats, the loss of suitable habitat is considered a threat.
