An all-Ireland charity that promotes the conservation of bats and their habitats

Bat Conservation Ireland

  • Join
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • 0 items€0.00
  • Who We Are
    • Organisation
    • History
    • Funding
  • What We Do
    • Monitoring and Distribution Projects
    • Children and Schools
    • Summer Bat Count
    • Research Affiliations and Projects
    • Campaigns
    • Publications
  • Irish Bats
    • What is a bat?
    • Species
    • Lifecycle
    • Bat Roosts
    • Protection & The Law
    • How are Irish bats doing?
    • Distributions
    • Bat Landscapes
    • Echolocation
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer Your Time
    • Donate
    • Become a Member
    • Gardening for Bats
    • Bats and Farming
    • Bats and Forestry
    • Bat Detectors – getting and using them
  • In Your Area
    • Events
    • Bat Sightings
    • Bat Hotspots
    • How to Watch Bats
    • Bat Groups
    • Northern Ireland
  • Search
Home » Irish Bats » Species » Leisler’s Bat
Leisler's bat

Leisler's bat © Austin Hopkirk

Leisler’s Bat

Nyctalus leisleri

ialtóg Leisler

This is the biggest Irish bat and it is often found roosting in buildings although 13% of its roosts recorded in Ireland have been in trees. The Leisler’s bat has distinctive level flight at greater heights than the other Irish species, from which it dives down after dung flies and beetles. It can be seen soon after sunset flying over open spaces such as parks and fields. Because it is one of the first bats to emerge in the evening and is quite large, the Leisler’s may be confused with swifts that may also be flying around. They are best told apart by the wing shape, the swift’s wings are smoothly curved and scimitar-like. Swifts also shriek, while the Leisler’s bat is inaudible without a bat detector. The Leisler’s bat is rare in Britain and the rest of Europe but it is relatively common here. For this reason the Irish population of Leisler’s bats is considered of International Importance.

Leisler’s bat is monitored by the Car-based Bat Monitoring Scheme and its annual trend has shown significant increases since 2003.  The reasons for the increase is poorly understood but it may be recovering from past declines, or responding to increased woodland cover and/or climate change.

  • What is a bat?
  • Species
    • Common Pipistrelle and Soprano Pipistrelle
    • Nathusius' Pipistrelle
    • Leisler's Bat
    • Brown Long-eared Bat
    • Daubenton's Bat
    • Natterer's Bat
    • Whiskered Bat
    • Lesser Horseshoe Bat
    • Unconfirmed/Vagrant
  • Lifecycle
  • Bat Roosts
  • Protection & The Law
  • How are Irish bats doing?
  • Distributions
  • Bat Landscapes
  • Echolocation

Bat Conservation Ireland,
Carmichael House,
4-7, North Brunswick Street,
Dublin 7
D07 RHA8

  • My Account
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Privacy & Security Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap

Bat Conservation Ireland is a company limited by guarantee not having a share capital, registered in Dublin, Ireland.
Company registration number 494343. Charity Registration Number 20039417.

Copyright © 2021 Bat Conservation Ireland | Website design by Made in Trenbania

This site uses cookies: Find out more.