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Bat  Greater Horseshoe Bats

Greater Horseshoe Bat - Photo © Copyright 2005 Roger Jones Photo: Roger Jones

UK Safari Tip:
Find out about all the UK bat species with the fold out ID chart called "A Guide to British Bats" in the Nature Shop - click here

 

Latin name: Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Size: Wingspan approximately 35 to 45cms.

Distribution: Rare. Found mainly in south Wales and south west England.

Months seen:
April to October

Food: Insects.

Habitat:
Old buildings and caves

Echolocation Frequency: 80 - 85 kHz

Special features: Greater Horseshoe bats gets their name from the flap of skin around the nose, which is horseshoe shaped. This flap of skin is used as part of the echolocation system - a bit like a dish on a satellite receiver.

They are one of our largest bats with a head and body length of between 55 and 70mms.

Greater Horseshoe bats emerge from their roosts very soon after sunset. During summer months they will roost in stables and barns.

Click for a better viewIn winter they prefer to hang out in cellars, mines, tunnels and caves (like this group of around 150).

It is estimated that the UK population of Greater Horseshoe bats has declined by around 90 in the last 100 years, mainly due to disturbance of roosting sites and changes in farming practices.



Track Down More Info

Bat Identification Charts
Bat Calls on CD - Learn to Identify Different Species
Bat Detectors
UK Safari Bat Section
What is a bat?
What is Echolocation?
What does a bat sound like?
What is a tragus?
Links to Bat Groups in Britain







 © 2006 G. Bradley. All Rights Reserved