By Monica Taylor
Most people think of bats on the Gulf Coast as being primarily one species: Mexican Free-tailed bats. The surprising fact is that there are many more species of bats that call the Coastal Plain home for at least part of the year! The Bat Acoustic Monitoring Program helps determine the bat species richness in Texas. It also helps to guide conservation and scientific efforts.
Bat acoustic monitoring takes place from late April through July. Sometimes monitoring occurs into late July or August due to weather events that delay previous recording. Designated monitoring sites must be at least five kilometers apart, demonstrate suitable bat habitat, and be willing to share the recorded data with the North American Bat Association.
Over four nights, an electronic acoustic bat detector designed to capture the echolocation calls of bats flying near the device is placed at a designated site. This specialized equipment captures the ultrasonic calls made by bats. We analyze the recordings with software designed to identify potential bat species that may be present. The software uses advanced methods to match the recordings with verified bat calls.
The software results identify which bat species are likely to be present. This method is not 100% perfect, but by combining software analysis with manual analysis, we can be highly confident in the presence of a specified bat species.
This year at Seabourne Creek Nature Park in Rosenberg, Texas, acoustic monitoring was done from June 30th through July 5th. Multiple bat species were recorded, and the presence of four potential species was confirmed as highly likely: the Southern Yellow Bat, the Seminole Bat, the Evening Bat, and the Mexican Free-tailed Bat.
Every year acoustic data show a correlation between native plant presence and the presence of bats at monitoring sites. Sites rich in native plants and native pollinator habitat recorded numerous species of bats, while sites without native plants or native pollinator habitat showed fewer species present, if any. Native plants matter to bats!
If you’re interested in learning more about the Bat Acoustic Monitoring Project, contact Texas Master Naturalist Coastal Prairie Chapter member Monica Taylor, program lead for the Bat Acoustics Monitoring project.