Struggling to tell your pipistrelles from your Daubenton's? Read our guide to different bat species.
Bats are the world's only true flying mammals.
What bat species will you find in the UK?
Take a walk along a canal at dusk and you might spot one of 18 bat species living in the UK.
Alcathoe's bat
Known to live in Yorkshire and the south of England, Alcathoe's bat has reddish-brown fur and short brown ears. It measures up to 4cm with a 20cm wingspan.
Barbastelle bat
The barbastelle bat is a rare creature, found in ancient woodlands in the south. The barbastelle has an upturned nose with small eyes and wide ears joined at the base. It measures 4.5cm with a 27cm wingspan.
Brown long-eared bat
So-called for its long ears (measuring 2.8cm), the long-eared bat uses its ears to navigate and find food. It has light brown fur and a pale underside. Long-eared bats have a body of around 4.5cm and a wingspan of up to 25cm.
Brown long-eared bats are called 'whispering bats' because their quiet echolocation sounds.
Daubenton’s bat
Known as the ‘water bat’, Daubenton’s bat often roosts in trees. Daubenton’s bats have short ears with fluffy brown fur, a pale grey underside, and a pink face. Distinctive by its large feet, this bat measures around 4.5cm with a 25cm wingspan. You might spot these bats flying low over the water, like a hovercraft.
Daubenton's bats hunt insects from the water as they skim the surface with their large feet or tail.
Similar to the brown long-eared bat, the grey long-eared bat is a rarer species only found in the south of England. Grey long-eared bats have darker fur and measure 4.5cm with a 25cm wingspan.
Horseshoe bats
Found in the southwest of England and Wales, lesser and greater horseshoe bat populations are declining. In summer, they roost in roof spaces and hide in underground sites, like caves, in winter. Greater horseshoes measure 6.4cm with a 34cm wingspan and a distinctively fleshy nose (shaped like a horseshoe).
Lesser horseshoe bats weigh a third as much as the greater horseshoe bat.
Noctule
Noctule bats roost in trees mainly, forage widely, and are one of the largest bats found in the UK. It has golden fur with a darker face, measuring 7.5cm with a 36cm wingspan.
The noctule bat flies high above the tree tops, diving steeply to catch insects.
Pipistrelle
There are three kinds of the smallest bats in the UK: common, soprano, and Nathusius’ pipistrelle bats. Known for roosting in houses, trees, and bat boxes, pipistrelles forage everywhere and live in colonies of over 1,000. They’re black and brown, measuring only 3.5cm with a 22cm wingspan.
The tiny pipistrelle bat can eat up to 3,000 insects in a night.
Serotine
Found in the south, serotine bats return to the same roost every year. They have dark brown fur and a brown or black face. These bats measure 6.4cm with a 36cm wingspan.
Whiskered and Brandt’s bat
Typically found in woodlands and by the water, these two species are very similar with more fur around their eyes and face than other bats. They measure 4cm with a 24cm wingspan.
Support our work
We need your support to keep canals and rivers alive. Donate today to make a difference
