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Daubenton's bat

 

 

 

The Daubenton’s bat is one of Estonia’s most common bat species, the pond bat in contrast occurs only in some areas.

 

We can see both species flying above water bodies in summer nights, both in the countryside and in cities. Both are shy of lights. Usually they keep away from illuminated ponds, preferring to catch insects in dark spots.

 

Both species have a characteristic brown back and light belly with a sharp and clear-cut transition between them. The face is mostly pink and the ears have rounded tips. It is easiest to distinguish between them by size; the pond bat is clearly larger than the Daubenton’s bat.

 

The pond bat and the Daubenton’s bat are sedentary (non-migrating) species and for wintering in Estonia mainly use large artificial caves where their number can reach into several hundreds.

 

 

Daubenton's bat

 

Pond bat