Savi's Pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii) lives in mediterranean forests across Southern Europe Africa. It feeds on insects and spiders. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Savi's Pipistrelle
- During the warm months the bat spends daylight hours tucked beneath bark, inside tree hollows, in the cracks of old walls or hidden in rock crevices, taking advantage of the shelter these sites provide. When winter arrives it abandons these exposed places and seeks out roosts where temperature stays steady, such as caves, underground vaults and deep rock cracks. In these colder refuges it normally roosts alone, hidden from the chill and predators.
- The bat hunts insects on the wing by emitting ultrasonic pulses that are timed to each wing beat, a coordination that extends how far it can detect prey. This synchronised emission works together with its echolocation system, allowing it to locate flying insects more effectively as it flies. By matching sound bursts to wing motion the bat maximises detection distances while in pursuit of its nocturnal meals.
- When the bat needs to hydrate it performs a series of low, slow flights just above the water surface, raising its wings to create a brief pause before scooping water with its tongue. It repeats these low passes until it has collected enough liquid to satisfy its thirst. This behaviour allows the bat to drink without landing, keeping it ready to resume hunting at night.
- During the breeding season as many as 70 females can gather in a single maternity roost. This large group forms in the summer when the species breeds.
- It favours mountainous terrain and has been recorded at heights up to 2,500 m. The bat prefers bushy slopes with clumps of trees, scrubland, cliffs, gorges and ruins, habitats that are common in high-altitude regions.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeSouthern Europe Africa
HabitatMediterranean forests
DietInsects and spiders
About the Savi's Pipistrelle
In the velvety darkness of a summer evening, the Savi's Pipistrelle unfurls its delicate wings, a whispered promise of nocturnal wonder, as it dances on the whispers of the wind, its high-pitched calls weaving an ethereal tapestry of sound. With each fluttering beat, this tiny bat navigates the intricate labyrinth of its forest home, a masterful navigator of the shadows, where the silvery moonlight barely penetrates. As it flits and weaves, its large eyes shining like dark jewels, the Savi's Pipistrelle embodies the very essence of nocturnal magic, a fleeting glimpse of a secret world that lies just beyond our mortal grasp.
Hear the Savi's Pipistrelle, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
_in_Spain.jpg)