# Common Noctule (*Nyctalus noctula*) The Common Noctule is a big bat that flies at night. It loves to catch insects in the air and can be found in many places, including forests and cities! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests, Urban areas - **Also known as:** Noctule Bat ![Common Noctule](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Nyctalus_noctula.jpg&width=800) Photo: Mnolf, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nyctalus_noctula.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Noctule has glossy, reddish-brown fur on its back and paler, yellowish-brown fur underneath. It is a relatively large bat for Europe, with long, narrow wings and a distinctive mushroom-shaped tragus in its ear. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Chiroptera - **Family:** Vespertilionidae - **Genus:** Nyctalus ## Interesting facts - Noctule colonies can grow to include over a thousand individual bats! - Some Common Noctules migrate hundreds of kilometers to warmer places for winter! - They prefer roosting in tree hollows that were made by woodpeckers! - You might hear their loud echolocation calls even without special equipment! ## Special abilities - **Echolocation Expert:** Common Noctule can navigate and hunt in total darkness using high-frequency sounds to map out its environment. - **High-Speed Hunter:** Common Noctule has long, narrow wings enabling fast, direct flight to pursue and catch flying insects mid-air. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 6-8 cm - **Wingspan:** 32-40 cm - **Weight:** 0.018-0.04 kg - **Lifespan:** 4-12 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-2 - **Gestation:** 70-75 days ## Diet & Feeding These speedy fliers hunt down and eat many different types of flying insects high in the night sky. - **Primary Foods:** Moths, Beetles, Caddisflies, Midges, Mosquitoes - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Large Yellow Underwing Moth (*Noctua pronuba*) — A favorite flying insect meal. - **Eaten by:** Cockchafer (*Melolontha melolontha*) — Caught mid-air during evening flights. - **Hunts:** [Tawny Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tawny-owl) (*Strix aluco*) — Predator near roosts at dawn/dusk. - **Depends on:** [Great Spotted Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-spotted-woodpecker) (*Dendrocopos major*) — Creates hollows used by roosting bats. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Echolocation](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/echolocation): Echolocation is a biological sonar used by animals to navigate, hunt, and communicate by emitting sound waves and interpreting the echoes. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Bats are usually not dangerous, but it's best to watch them from a distance and not touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Noctule? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Common Noctule? 6-8 cm ### What is Common Noctule's wingspan? 32-40 cm ### How much does Common Noctule weigh? 0.018-0.04 kg ### How long does Common Noctule live? 4-12 years ### How fast can Common Noctule move? 50 km/h ### What does Common Noctule eat? These speedy fliers hunt down and eat many different types of flying insects high in the night sky. ### Where is Common Noctule usually found? Forests, Urban areas ## Where to spot - [Bergedorfer Schlosspark (Hamburg)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bergedorfer-schlosspark-hamburg) — Hamburg, DE · Park - [Park Schönbusch (Aschaffenburg)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/park-schonbusch-aschaffenburg) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Hofgarten Bayreuth](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hofgarten-bayreuth) — Bayern, DE · Park [View all places to see Common Noctule](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-noctule) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Common Noctule: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-noctule)