Bats Hunt Above the Garden

April 10, 2017

Some may wonder how we know what bats are flying above the GNG. We record their echolocation calls.  These recordings are run through software that creates a sonogram, which is then annualized by classification software.  Although the software algorithms are quite accurate, we confirm the results by visually looking at the sonogram on a computer screen.

The most common bat recorded in the garden (our recording unit is pictured here) is the Canyon bat, followed by Mexican Free-tailed bats. Recently, over a two-week period, we got recordings of a Yuma myotis.  This was surprising because this small bat is usually associated with flowing or open water environments.

The screenshot above is a sonogram created by a recording made in the GNG of a Yuma myotis.  The red arrow points to the bat's calls. The screenshot above is a sonogram created by a recording made in the GNG of a Yuma myotis.  The red arrow points to the bat’s calls.

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