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Greater Noctule Bat's Stunning Aerial Hunts Revealed

10/10/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The greater noctule bat (Nyctalus lasiopterus) actively hunts migrating songbirds, including the European robin, at high altitude in southern Spain.
Biologging tracked hunts up to three minutes with mid-air captures.
The findings, published in Science, align with 25 years of evidence that Nyctalus lasiopterus preys on birds, supported by distress calls and 23 minutes of chewing in flight.

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Story summary

The greater noctule bat (Nyctalus lasiopterus) actively hunts migrating songbirds, including the European robin, at high altitude in southern Spain.
Biologging tracked hunts up to three minutes with mid-air captures.
The findings, published in Science, align with 25 years of evidence that Nyctalus lasiopterus preys on birds, supported by distress calls and 23 minutes of chewing in flight.