Offshore observations of eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) in the Mid-Atlantic United States using multiple survey methods

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 19;8(12):e83803. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083803. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Little is known about the migration and movements of migratory tree-roosting bat species in North America, though anecdotal observations of migrating bats over the Atlantic Ocean have been reported since at least the 1890s. Aerial surveys and boat-based surveys of wildlife off the Atlantic Seaboard detected a possible diurnal migration event of eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) in September 2012. One bat was sighted approximately 44 km east of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware during a boat-based survey. Eleven additional bats were observed between 16.9 and 41.8 km east of New Jersey, Delaware, and Virginia in high definition video footage collected during digital aerial surveys. Observations were collected incidentally as part of a large baseline study of seabird, marine mammal, and sea turtle distributions and movements in the offshore environment. Digital survey methods also allowed for altitude estimation for several of these bats at >100 m above sea level. These observations provide new evidence of bat movements offshore, and offer insight into their flight heights above sea level and the times of day at which such migrations may occur.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air
  • Animal Migration*
  • Animals
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Chiroptera* / physiology
  • Data Collection*
  • Flight, Animal
  • Seasons
  • Time Factors
  • United States

Grants and funding

This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DE-EE0005362. This manuscript was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.