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Silver-haired Bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
31.6288, -94.7435
Field Notes
Description:
These guys are very dark, almost black or truly black, with frosted tips to their fur, which is what gives them their name. We were surprised to see how small this one was (it's the first one we've seen) but he fit the Key. Although we know we've gotten silver-hair calls in our acoustic devices, we just haven't gotten one in the nets before, so it was a surprise. We believe this male was migrating through our area, and is not a resident.
Habitat:
Silver-haired bats rely upon old growth forests for roost sites, although they're known to forage in disturbed forest. They roost in tree cavities and small hallows. Forest management practices that incorporate mixed-age stands are especially important to this species, as maintaining a high density of snags is necessary to provide roosting sites for maternity colonies. This species is known to be a great pest-removal, and forages on many different species of soft-bodied insects.
This one was captured at the SFA experimental forest, which is predominantly pine, and is one of the reasons why we believe this little guy is a migrant and not a resident.
Notes:
This bat was captured in a mist net by trained and permitted researchers. Proper care was given to each animal, and white-nose protocol was followed. Weather: clear, no breeze, low of 69 F. Nets were placed over a pond with pines around it, and a small grassy field nearby.
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