Miniopterus schreibersii

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Family

Vespertilionidae

Genus

Miniopterus

Species

schreibersii

Common name/s

Common Bent-wing Bat, Schreibers© Long-tailed Bat, Schreibers© Bat, Eastern Bent-winged Bat, Bent-winged Bat, Long-fingered Bat (in Europe).

Distinguishing Features

This furry looking bat has very dark red-black coloured fur above and lighter fur underneath. Its head and body length is about 5.5cm. The head is composed of a short snout with a large, domed forehead, small dark eyes and small round ears. Its third finger has an elongated joint four times the length of its other joints, which bends under its wing, hence its name.

Similar Species

The Little Bent-wing Bat (Minipterus australis) is smaller and has a range restricted to QLD and northern NSW.

Distribution

This species is found across the north of WA, NT and QLD, and south along the eastern areas of QLD, NSW and VIC. They are also found in part of New Guinea, Indonesia, Africa and Eurasia. More locally, there is a known maternity colony in Wee Jasper NSW.

Country of Origin

Australia

Survey Techniques

Ultrasound and cavern searches lead to the identification of this species.

Conservation (Pet/Pest) Status - National

The Department of Environment and Water Resources considers this species as Conservation Dependant under the EPBC Act 1999, due to the small number of maternity caves that need to be kept free from human interference.

Conservation (Pet/Pest) Status - Regional

Listed as Vulnerable in the NSW Legal Status (2000).

LSCCES Population

Fairly common throughout the ACT region.

Associated vegetation community

This species inhabits forest and woodland areas with good tree cover. They roost in caves, but where these are unavailable, they will use old mines, stormwater drains or old empty buildings.

Limiting Resources

The diet and habitat needed for the survival of this species is very specific. An ample number of trees provide the foraging resources necessary for this species. The temperature and humidity of the maternity cave used by up to 60,000 nesting females must be constant, as a change of 0.1 of a degree to the inner cave temperature may make conditions unfavourable for the development of the young.

Breeding

Mating and fertilisation occurs from late May to early June, just before hibernation. The implantation from the ovary is delayed until the end of the hibernation period. At the beginning of spring, adult females move away from scattered roosts to specific maternity caves of high temperature and humidity. In December, as single naked young is born to each female. At this time, young bats are massed on the ceiling with up to 3000 fitting in a square metre. By late February, the mothers and young of the maternity colonies disperse and separate. Young individuals may move hundreds of kilometres. They can live up to 18 years of age.

Behaviour

This species roost in caves during the day and can travel up to 200km between the roost site and their maternity cave. They travel from roost to roost according to the changing seasonal availability of food, suitable roosting sites and the needs of the bats at different life stages. During the evening they fly above tree canopies feeding. During the wintertime, when insects are scarce, Bent-wing Bats hibernate, emerging in late August.

Functional Group

Insectivore

Food Species

The Bent-wing Bat collects flying insects like moths from above the tree canopy.

Predators

Various owls, pythons, feral cats (Felis catus ) and occasionally foxes (Vulpes vulpes ) prey upon the Bent-wing Bat.

Interesting Fact

No other hibernating bat is known to possess the capacity to delay the implantation of the sperm to the egg for months after the mating event.