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Create Account Plan Project Collect Data Prep/Process Data Upload Data Data QA/QC Get Data Species Codes Resource Library COLLECT DATA Jump to... Capture Records Emergence Counts Internal Roost Counts Mobile Acoustic Surveys Stationary Acoustic Surveys Reference Calls Photo: Frank Tousley Stationary Acoustic Surveys The goal of stationary acoustic surveys is to capture the full scope of bat species diversity within a GRTS cell. This is accomplished through presence-absence sampling, meaning a single positive identification of each species is all that is required at each sampling location. Therefore, the priority of stationary acoustic sampling should be to acquire high-quality recordings that can be confidently identified, rather than focusing on recording a high volume of recordings. 1. Select GRTS cells to survey . Acquire landowner permission, if applicable. Find a sample property access request letter here . 2. Select sites to monitor. Each 10 x 10 km GRTS cell is comprised of four 5 x 5 km quadrants; users should place no more than 1 acoustic detector per quadrant and survey at least two quadrants per grid cell. Homogenous landscapes may only require two quadrants to capture the species diversity within a cell. If landscapes are heterogenous or unfamiliar to the user, place detectors in up to four quadrants to ensure the major habitat types are represented in sampling. Site selection is a multi-year commitment that should be diligently assessed by knowledgeable biologists using on-the-ground reconnaissance. Note: Aim for call diversity, not quantity. It may be necessary to place one or two detectors in habitats that may be used only by one or two species if those habitats are the most likely area to host those species 3. Prepare survey equipment. Most bat detectors are compatible with stationary acoustic monitoring; however, time-expansion detectors should not be used. To standardize recordings, recommended settings involve a two-second trigger window and a maximum file length of 15 seconds. 4. Conduct surveys. Monitoring should occur during the summer active period prior to the young becoming volant. This target period may vary with location or species. When possible, surveys should be conducted when weather conditions are optimal for bat activity. Each survey point should be sampled at least once per year, for a minimum of four consecutive nights. Surveys should last the entire night, from 15 minutes before sunset until 15 minutes after sunrise. 5. Review full NABat Stationary Acoustic Survey protocols in A plan for the North American Bat Monitoring Program (Chapter 4). Resources for Stationary Acoustic Surveys Acoustic Detector Settings Guide Using Audiomoth for Acoustic Surveys Audiomoth Configuration File Mobile Acoustic Surveys The goal of mobile acoustic surveys is to estimate the relative abundance of bat species within a GRTS cell. 1. Select GRTS cells to survey . Acquire landowner permission, if applicable. Find a sample property access request letter here . 2. Delineate a survey route. Routes should cover 25-48 km (~15-30 mi) on roads where a constant speed of 32 kph (20 mph) is possible with little to no stopping. Plan a route that covers the cell’s predominant habitat types, but avoid roads with heavy traffic (for safety) and dense forested corridors (for call quality). To ensure each bat recording is a unique encounter, avoid routes that loop back near previously surveyed areas. If unavoidable, aim for all route sections to be separated by > 100 m lateral distance. Note: Mobile transect routes should be targeted toward a single GRTS cell, but may have sections or an endpoint that extend beyond the GRTS cell boundary into an adjacent cell(s). 3. Prepare survey equipment. Acceptable bat detectors include full-spectrum (preferred), zero-cross, and frequency division. Zero-cross detectors that auto-level the noise floor should not be used, nor should time-expansion detectors. Directional microphones are preferred and should be affixed centrally on the vehicle rooftop, preferably aiming their cone of detection upwards. All recordings should be georeferenced. Most detector types are capable of writing GPS metadata, either through internal GPS mechanisms or through the attachment of accessory GPS units. Note: Because mobile transects should only be conducted during fair weather, microphone weatherproofing is not necessary and should not be used (for call quality). 4. Conduct surveys. Users should perform mobile surveys twice per year during the maternity season — ideally, the second survey will be conducted within a week of the first. The window of appropriate survey dates may vary based on the phenology of regional bat communities. To maintain consistency in subsequent years, future surveys should be conducted within one-two weeks of the original survey date. Begin mobile surveys 45 minutes after sunset. If the survey vehicle must stop for any reason, the detector should be paused until the survey resumes. Note: Ensure detectors are functional for the duration of the survey by generating an ultrasonic test noise (e.g., rubbing fingers together, jangling keys) at the microphone immediately after beginning and prior to ending the survey. 5. Review full NABat Mobile Acoustic Survey protocols in A plan for the North American Bat Monitoring Program (Chapter 5). Mobile Acoustic Transect Standard Operating Procedure Locating and Establishing Routes Field Season and Survey Preparation Conducting Mobile Transect Surveys Download + Link Mobile Transect Route to Survey Event Download Transect Route Link Transect Route to Survey Roost Count Surveys at a Glance The goal of roost count surveys is to estimate population abundance in gregarious species or to record species whose call characteristic are not well-suited for acoustic monitoring. Bat roost sites can be sensitive locations. NABat offers multiple levels of data security to accommodate project's with site security concerns. Disclaimer: NABat recognizes that many ongoing roost/colony monitoring programs consist of years, or decades of effort. NABat guidelines encourage survey effort consistency to create comparable datasets; however, it is not recommended that existing colony monitoring programs significantly alter their current protocols unless data reliability is expected to dramatically improved. Consistent, long-term monitoring data is more important that full integration of efforts into the NABat framework. Internal Roost Counts 1. Assess the need for an internal roost count. Entering a roost may negatively impact bats and should be avoided when possible. An internal roost count may be appropriate if emergence counts cannot be conducted or cannot reliably identify a roost’s species, or if data needs require winter-specific population estimates to assess threats associated with hibernacula (e.g., WNS). To ensure reproductive success is not compromised in maternity colonies, internal surveys of summer roosts are not recommended unless absolutely necessary. 2. Establish a survey sample design. If a regular sampling interval can be maintained (≤ 3 years between surveys), it may be most appropriate to monitor all colonies in a region. Alternatively, GRTS cell selection protocol can be used to prioritize monitoring when the number of colonies exceeds monitoring resources in a region. 3. Conduct surveys. Whenever possible, winter surveys should be conducted between late January and early March. To minimize disturbance, conduct surveys no more than once per season — some species-specific guidance may recommend surveying once every other season. If internal roost counts must be conducted in the summer, surveys should occur during the final two weeks of pregnancy. Entering roosts with non-volant pups incurs a high risk of pup mortality. Multiple-observer surveys are recommended to minimize bias in abundance estimates. However, it is critical that data collected in this manner be independent (i.e., no communication between observers). Surveyors must also consider that duplicated effort has the potential to increase disturbance within a roost and should make every effort to minimize disturbance. Digital photography is the preferred method for internal roost counts as it minimizes time spent in a roost and creates a permanent record of the survey. Performing a visual survey in tandem with digital photography generally results in a reliable roost count. Cameras must be capable of producing clear images where individual bats are easily distinguished. Cluster abundance may be estimated by extrapolating bat density estimates over the cluster area; in such cases, packing density should be estimated for each cluster and for multiple subsets of large clusters. Note: It is crucial that large roosts be subdivided into named sections and bat counts be attributed to their respective section. Spatial inconsistency between surveys often renders incomparable data; however, comparisons may still be drawn at the roost section level when such data exists. Emergence Counts 1. Establish a survey sample design. If it is practical to monitor all known colonies in a region each season, it may be most appropriate to continue monitoring all colonies. Alternatively, GRTS cell selection protocol can be used to prioritize monitoring when colony prevalence exceeds monitoring resources in a region. 2. Assess whether an emergence count will result in accurate estimates at a roost. Emergence counts are appropriate when all roost exits are known and can be monitored simultaneously. Conditions must allow individual emerging bats to be identified; additionally, species compositions and relative abundances of the roost must be known beforehand. 3. Conduct surveys. Emergence counts are most productive during late pregnancy or early lactation, prior to young becoming volant. Performing two-three emergence counts during this period typically produces reliable data. In most scenarios, it is appropriate to begin monitoring a roost 30 minutes before sunset and continue at least 10 minutes after the last bat emerges or until it is too dark to see. However, larger colonies may emerge in pulses with periods > 10 minutes between emerging bats. Capture NABat encourage submission of capture data. User capture data may facilitate the interpretation of acoustic and roost count surveys by aiding verification of a given species for a given area. NABat does not specify guidance protocols regarding the capture or handling of bats. Please refer to your state/province/territory guidelines, and/or your local USFWS local field office. Reference Calls Bat reference calls are acoustic recordings of bat echolocations, social calls, etc. where the identity of the recorded species is established through reliable identification methods, e.g., genetics, capture, etc. Despite the NABat database representing over 130 million bat acoustic records (and counting), there is still a pressing need for verified, curated reference recordings. These bat reference calls are needed to help improve the utility and reliability of acoustic monitoring as a tool for studying bats and essential for advancing our understanding of how species and populations are fairing across North America. Reference Call Guidance Reference Calls

5201cc4e-e608-421f-8d3e-be9d173fee44 Photo credit: Dan Neubaum USFWS Next WNS & Listing Status Myotis yumanensis Order: Chiroptera Suborder: Yangochiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae Call characteristics: High frequency caller (~50 kHz range) Weight 1/4 oz (6 g) Body Length 1 1/2 - 1 7/8 in (3.9 - 4.8 cm) There are various sources for bat species range maps including IUCN , NatureServe , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ECOS , and the National Atlas of the United States . US SWAP National List IUCN Red List Canada Species at Risk Mexico Yuma Myotis The Yuma Myotis is a smaller bat with black to reddish-brown or light brown fur. Habitat includes a variety of forested areas, thorny scrub, and deserts. Roosts are commonly located in buildings and underneath bridges, however, yuma Myotis also roosts in caves and abandoned mines. Maternity roosts have been found in tree cavities, and single males have been observed in abandoned cliff swallow nests. The yuma Myotis prefers to forage over water and will consume a variety of insects, including moths, froghoppers, beetles, midges, mosquitos, and muscid flies. The loss of critical habitat and the fungal disease white-nose syndrome threaten the health of this species. Information used to populate this page was obtained from the following sources: NatureServe Explorer United States Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Conservation Online System Bat Conservation International Bat Profiles National Atlas of the United States. (2011). North American Bat Ranges, 1830-2008. National Atlas of the United States. Available at: http://purl.stanford.edu/pz329xp4277. Taylor, M. 2019. Bats: an illustrated guide to all species. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books. Conservation Status Previous Next

NABat is a muli-national, collaborative conservation monitoring program aimed at understanding status and trends all 47 species of bats common to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Network In addition to collecting and uploading data to NABat , we offer a number of ways to get involved in the broader NABat community. Check out the opportunities below! Looking for more guidance or want 1:1 support? We offer training webinars throughout the year on a variety of topics. Check out our Events page for upcoming dates. For more individualized support, contact a member of our Technical Outreach Team or Book an Appointment . Connect with a regional hub Hubs help facilitate local implementation of NABat and maximize benefit within the region. By joining a regional hub partners may receive more individual support to guide local survey efforts while maintaining the level of consistency necessary to meet the broader, programmatic goals of NABat. Learn more > Join our community of practice Come join us during our monthly calls as we highlight current efforts by partners and present on the latest research and updates to NABat. Hear from the NABat Coordination Team and get your questions answered. Contact us to be notified of upcoming meetings. Contact us > Sign up for the newsletter Stay up to date on what is happening with NABat and the greater bat community. Learn about upcoming events, relevant publications, resources, and products being produced by our team. Sign up > Events No events at the moment

REGIONAL MONITORING HUBS Hubs help prioritize local needs while aligning monitoring efforts with NABat's broader continental-scale goals. By working closely with local partners, hubs bolster collaboration, reduce redundancies, and help partners get more out of shared efforts and resources. Hubs in Your Area Reach out to a nearby Hub Coordinator to learn more! North of Northwest Hub Northwest Bat Hub PacWest Hub Rocky Mountain Hub Southwest Hub Midwest Hub Southeast Hub Mid-Atlantic Hub Atlantic Canada Hub Mail Mail Mail Mail Mail Mail Mail Mail Mail Leveraging Resources and Expertise Led by regional coordinators, hubs leverage resources across organizations to overcome challenges, provide services, optimize monitoring efforts and fill information needs, while populating the central NABat database. Hubs are key to the NABat purpose: to create a continent-wide program to monitor bats at local to rangewide scales that will provide reliable data to inform resource management decisions and support the long-term viability of bat populations across the continent.

Create Account Plan Project Collect Data Prep/Process Data Upload Data Data QA/QC Get Data Species Codes Quick Links PROCESSING ACOUSTICS IN SONOBAT 4 Select the acoustic survey type for which you have data STATIONARY POINT SURVEYS MOBILE TRANSECT SURVEYS SonoBat 30 is now the only version of SonoBat receiving classifier and program updates and the only version to conform to NABat's current stationary and mobile acoustic metadata fields. The following guidance is customized for SonoBat 30 users. Visit SonoBat 30 updates page https://sonobat.com/updates/ for information on the most current program build and classifier series, and instructions for updating a currently installed SonoBat 30 installation. Updates to SonoBat 4 are no longer supported by the software manufacturer, therefore, the guidance provided for SonoBat 4 is final as of February 1, 2025 and may not reflect future changes to NABat acoustic metadata. Processing Stationary Point Surveys Attribute Files > Scrub Noise Files > Assign Species IDs > Export Metadata > Formatting the Template > ATTRIBUTE FILES 1. Open the SonoBat Data Wizard and select the NABat Attributer from the drop-down menu in the top left of the window. Click the folder icon in the top right of the window and navigate to the folder containing the .wav files you intend to attribute (this should be a folder for a single deployment). Next, determine if you would like to Copy and Attribute to Output Folder or Rename and Attribute in place using the dropdown option. Specify an output directory in the Output Folder section where attributed files will be saved. The right panel of the application displays the GUANO metadata present in your selected acoustic files. This will be updated as NABat metadata fields are assigned in the Data Wizard . 2. Click the NABat Metadata button to access the NABat metadata pop-up window. For stationary acoustic data, the Mobile Transect option must be set to False . NOTE: the NABat Attributer metadata fields available in SonoBat 4 do not reflect the current metadata fields required and/or accepted by NABat as of Fall 2024. Only fill out the fields on the Location/Time (required) dropdown in the NABat Metadata pop-up window as the other metadata drop-down fields are outdated. 3. Once you have added only the NABat Location/Time (required) fields, click Finish . 4. Repeat the above steps for all NABat stationary metadata fields that are required or for which you have data. 5. Select the Attribute Files button in the bottom center of the window. SCRUB NOISE FILES 1. Click the folder icon in the top right corner of the Data Wizard window and navigate to the folder containing your attributed .wav files. 2. Click the drop-down menu in the top left and select Batch File Scrubber . 3. Select medium from the filter options and ensure the appropriate frequency filter is selected. 4. Click Scrub in the bottom left of the window. ASSIGN SPECIES IDs 1. Open SonoBat 4.x.x North America and click the SonoBatch button in the lower left corner. 2. Click the folder icon in the top center of the window and navigate to the folder containing the files you intend to process. 3. Select the classifier most appropriate for your location using the drop-down menus on the left side of the window. 4. Ensure Append species codes to filenames? is NOT selected. 5. Select autofilter in areas without low-frequency bat species and auto-low in areas with low-frequency bats present. 6. Set acceptable call quality to 0.80 . 7. Set sqnc decision threshold to 0.90 . 8. Set max number of calls to consider to 16 . 9. Click Process in the bottom center of the window. EXPORT METADATA INTO BULK UPLOAD TEMPLATE The following steps can be used to export metadata from all processed deployments simultaneously, resulting in a single CSV with metadata from numerous sites. Simply select the parent folder that contains all of your processed deployments and follow the steps outlined below. The presence of non .wav files in the folder will not interfere with this process. SonoBat will ignore non .wav files. 1. Open SonoBat 4.x.x North America and select the regional and subregional classifier appropriate for your survey location. Click the I understand button to access the applications primary user interface. 2. Click the SonoVet button in the lower left corner to access the Project Vetter pop-up window. 3. Click the Add to Project button and navigate to the folder containing .wav files that have been attributed and processed in the above steps. 4. Click the Settings tab on the top menu bar and then click the Load Layout button to load the NABat metadata form. Be sure to select the appropriate SonoBat form for your software version. SonoBat project forms are available for download here . 5. Click the Vetting Table tab from the top menu bar. Ensure all required fields have values and that all fields for which you have entered data are filled. 6. If everything is correct, click the Export tab from the top menu bar. Select a destination folder to save the metadata file and select Use current layout – and Output null as " " or Output null as an empty cell from the dropdown menu in the bottom center of the window. DO NOT select NABat Summary for export – this summary format does not reflect the NABat metadata updates. 7. Click Save to File . 8. The resulting .txt file must be converted to a .csv file. To convert the file in Excel , open a new workbook, drag and drop your .txt file directly into your new workbook. 10. The specific software version must now be manually added. Highlight the Software Type column, and using the find/replace function, replace SonoBat with SonoBat 4.x , depending on your specific software version. 11. Click File , Save As , and select the folder where you intend to save the metadata spreadsheet. Give the file a unique and descriptive name and select CSV (Comma delimited) from the Save as type dropdown. 12. In order for the NABat system to read your metadata, the column headers created by SonoBat must be replaced with the metadata field names from the most up-to-date NABat template. To do so, follow directions in the next section. FORMATTING THE NABAT METADATA TEMPLATE NABat stationary acoustic metadata fields were updated Fall of 2024. Because updates to SonoBat 4 are no longer supported by the software manufacturer, the SonoBat 4 NABat Attributer does not reflect the most up-to-date NABat metadata. Therefore, a scripted solution to format data from SonoBat 4 for NABat upload is provided below. 1. Click the R Script button below to download a .pdf version of the script. Open R studio and copy and paste the script into the upper left window. Adapt the code to your computer path and file names. Click Run until you reach the end of the code. A new CSV file should now be written and saved to your local working directory with a unique filename. 2. You must manually enter information for all required NABat metadata fields into your newly created .csv. You can review the stationary acoustic required metadata fields by downloading the bulk upload template here . 3. Once all required fields are populated, your metadata are now ready for upload to the NABat Partner Portal . R Script Attribute Files: SonoBat 4 Scrub Noise Files: SonoBat 4 Assign Species IDs: SonoBat 4 Export Metadata Into Bulk Upload Template: SonoBat 4 Formatting the NABat Metadata Template: SonoBat 4 Processing Mobile Transect Surveys Attribute Files > Scrub Noise Files > Assign Species IDs > Export Metadata > Formatting the Template > ATTRIBUTE FILES 1. Open the SonoBat Data Wizard and select NABat Attributer from the drop-down menu in the top left of the window. Click the folder icon in the top right of the window and navigate to the folder containing the .wav files you intend to attribute (this should be a folder for a single deployment). Next, determine if you would like to Copy and Attribute to Output Folder or Rename and Attribute in place using the dropdown option. Specify an output directory in the Output Folder section where attributed files will be saved. The right panel of the application displays the GUANO metadata present in your selected acoustic files. This will be updated as NABat metadata fields are assigned in the Data Wizard . NOTE: The NABat Attributer metadata fields available in SonoBat 4 do not reflect the current metadata fields required and accepted by NABat as of Fall 2024. Only fill out the fields in the Location/Time (required) dropdown in the NABat Metadata pop-up window as the other metadata drop-down fields are outdated. 2. Click the NABat Metadata button and enter metadata in the popup window that appears. Select True to confirm that you are processing mobile transect data. NOTE: The NABat system will estimate the location based on user-provided spatial information for the route, timestamps of each file, and the start/end times of the survey. In this case, it is critical that users provide a spatial object (a KML or GEOJSON file) for the route prior to uploading NABat metadata, ensure timestamps are provided for each file, provide start and end times of the route, and leave the GRTS Cell Id column of the metadata upload blank. Instructions on uploading or drawing a spatial object for mobile transect routes are as follows: If transects pass through > 1 grid cell and you have a record of the X,Y location where each call was recorded (using an external GPS or a GPS enabled detector), leave the Start/End GPS and NABat Grid Cell Id fields blank. The NABat system will use the X,Y locations to auto-assign the correct grid cell id to each call. Otherwise, calls recorded outside the primary cell will produce a lat/long-grid cell mismatch error. 3. Click Finish in the bottom right. 4. Once you have added only the NABat Location/Time (required) fields, select Attribute Files in the bottom center of the window. SCRUB NOISE FILES 1. Click the folder icon in the top right corner of the Data Wizard window and navigate to the folder containing your .wav files. 2. Click the drop-down menu in the top left and select Batch File Scrubber . 3. Select Thorough: more carefully scans . 4. Select medium from the filter options and ensure the appropriate frequency filter is selected. 5. Click Scrub in the bottom left of the window. 6. NABat requests that users provide metadata for scrubbed NOISE files. However, SonoBat automatically ignores any folder labeled Noise Files , Deleted Files , or Scrubbed Files . To ensure scrubbed files load in the SonoVet table, rename folders containing scrubbed files as NOTBAT before loading folders into SonoVet. ASSIGN SPECIES IDs 1. Open SonoBat 4 North America and click the SonoBatch button in the lower left corner. 2. Click the folder icon in the top center of the window and navigate to the folder containing the files you intend to process. 3. Select the classifier most appropriate for your location using the drop-down menus on the left side of the window. 4. Ensure Append species codes to filenames? is NOT selected. 5. Select autofilter in areas without low-frequency bat species and auto-low in areas with low-frequency bats present. 6. Set acceptable call quality to 0.80 . 7. Set sqnc decision threshold to 0.90 . 8. Set max number of calls to consider to 16 . 9. Click Process in the bottom center of the window. EXPORT METADATA INTO BULK UPLOAD TEMPLATE The following steps can be used to export metadata from all processed deployments simultaneously, resulting in a single CSV with metadata from numerous sites. Simply select the parent folder that contains all of your processed deployments and follow the steps outlined below. The presence of non .wav files in the folder will not interfere with this process. SonoBat will ignore non .wav files. 1. Open SonoBat 4.x.x North America and select the regional and subregional classifier appropriate for your survey location. Click the I understand button to access the applications primary user interface. 2. Click the SonoVet button in the lower left corner to access the Project Vetter pop-up window. 3. Click the Add to Project button and navigate to the folder containing .wav files that have been attributed and processed in the above steps. 4. Click the Settings tab on the top menu bar and then click the Load Layout button to load the NABat metadata form. Be sure to select the appropriate SonoBat form for your software version. SonoBat project forms are available for download here . 5. Click the Vetting Table tab from the top menu bar. Ensure all required fields have values and that all fields for which you have entered data are filled. 6. If everything is correct, click the Export tab from the top menu bar. Select a destination folder to save the metadata file and select Use current layout – and Output null as " " or Output null as an empty cell from the dropdown menu in the bottom center of the window. DO NOT select NABat Summary for export – this summary format does not reflect the NABat metadata updates. 7. Click Save to File . 8. The resulting .txt file must be converted to a .csv file. To convert the file in Excel , open a new workbook, drag and drop your .txt file directly into your new workbook. 10. The specific software version must now be manually added. Highlight the Software Type column, and using the find/replace function, replace SonoBat with SonoBat 4.x , depending on your specific software version. 11. Click File , Save As , and select the folder where you intend to save the metadata spreadsheet. Give the file a unique and descriptive name and select CSV (Comma delimited) from the Save as type dropdown. 12. In order for the NABat system to read your metadata, the column headers created by SonoBat must be replaced with the metadata field names from the most up-to-date NABat template. To do so, follow directions in the next section. FORMATTING THE NABAT METADATA TEMPLATE NABat stationary acoustic metadata fields were updated Fall of 2024. Because updates to SonoBat 4 are no longer supported by the software manufacturer, the SonoBat 4 NABat Attributer does not reflect the most up-to-date NABat metadata. Therefore, a scripted solution to format data from SonoBat 4 for NABat upload is provided below. 1. Click the R Script button below to download a .pdf version of the script. Open R studio and copy and paste the script into the upper left window. Adapt the code to your computer path and file names. Click Run until you reach the end of the code. A new CSV file should now be written and saved to your local working directory with a unique filename. 2. You must manually enter information for all required NABat metadata fields into your newly created .csv. You can review the stationary acoustic required metadata fields by downloading the bulk upload template here . 3. Once all required fields are populated, your metadata are now ready for upload to the NABat Partner Portal . R Script Attribute Files SonoBat 4_Mobile Scrub Noise Files SonoBat 4_Mobile Assign Species IDs SonoBat 4_Mobile Export Metadata Into Template_Mobile Formatting the Metadata Template_Mobile

4c284fbc-d068-4aae-8ee8-bc55fee97c57 Photo credit: Ernie Valdez USFWS Next WNS & Listing Status Idionycteris phyllotis Order: Chiroptera Suborder: Yangochiroptera Family: Vespertillionidae Call characteristics: Low frequency caller (~25 kHz) Weight 1/4 - 1/2 oz (8 - 16 g) Body Length 4 - 4 2/3 in (10.3 - 11.8 cm) There are various sources for bat species range maps including IUCN , NatureServe , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ECOS , and the National Atlas of the United States . US SWAP National List IUCN Red List Canada Species at Risk Mexico Allen's Big-eared Bat Allen's big-eared bat has long, dark brown fur with lighter tips and a black patch on each shoulder. This species has very long (1-1.5 in) ears! The species is often associated with pinyon pine, ponderosa pine, juniper, and oak and includes desert mountains in the southwestern US and Mexico. Maternity colonies have been observed in mines and dead trees. Allen's big-eared bats prefer to eat moths but also consume other flying insects. Mothers have one pup per year. Information used to populate this page was obtained from the following sources: NatureServe Explorer United States Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Conservation Online System Bat Conservation International Bat Profiles National Atlas of the United States. (2011). North American Bat Ranges, 1830-2008. National Atlas of the United States. Available at: http://purl.stanford.edu/pz329xp4277. Taylor, M. 2019. Bats: an illustrated guide to all species. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books. Conservation Status Previous Next

617e21ba-0031-43c2-a320-23161d626fe2 Photo credit: Winifred Frick, BCI USFWS Next WNS & Listing Status Leptonycteris nivalis Order: Chiroptera Suborder: Yangochiroptera Family: Phyllostomidae Call characteristics: Low frequency caller Weight 2/3 - 1 oz (18 - 30 g) Body Length 2 3/4 - 3 1/2 in (7 - 9 cm) There are various sources for bat species range maps including IUCN , NatureServe , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ECOS , and the National Atlas of the United States . US SWAP National List IUCN Red List Canada Species at Risk Mexico Mexican Long-nosed Bat The Mexican long-nosed bat is dark gray to brown with a long nose and distinctive nose leaf. The habitat of this species is desert scrub and includes vegetation such as agave, creosote, mesquite, and various cacti. They range from the southwestern US to central Mexico. The Mexican long-nosed bat roosts in caves, rock crevices, old tunnels, and mines. Its main food is nectar and its tongue can reach 3 inches into agave flowers to access nectar. This species is one of the main pollinators of agave plants including mezcal, tequila, and century plants. This species migratory activity mirrors the seasonal flowering of agave. Mothers give birth to 1 to 2 pups per year. It is estimated that this species population has declined by over 50% over the last 25 years. These bats typically live 10-12 years in the wild. Information used to populate this page was obtained from the following sources: NatureServe Explorer United States Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Conservation Online System Bat Conservation International Bat Profiles National Atlas of the United States. (2011). North American Bat Ranges, 1830-2008. National Atlas of the United States. Available at: http://purl.stanford.edu/pz329xp4277. Taylor, M. 2019. Bats: an illustrated guide to all species. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books. Conservation Status Previous Next

90ab5b3d-8435-43a5-8bde-143b04e488b1 Photo credit: Alan Harper USFWS Next WNS & Listing Status Macrotus californicus Order: Chiroptera Suborder : Yangochiroptera Family: Phyllostomidae Call characteristics: Low decibel caller (whispering) Weight 1/4 - 3/5 oz (8 - 17 g) Body Length 1 1/5 - 5 1/3 in (4 – 13.5 cm) There are various sources for bat species range maps including IUCN , NatureServe , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ECOS , and the National Atlas of the United States . US SWAP National List IUCN Red List Canada Species at Risk Mexico California Leaf-nosed Bat The California leaf-nosed bat has gray to dark brown pelage, with often-paler ventral fur. The California leaf-nosed bat prefers hunting sans echolocation, using its sizeable ears and eyes to detect its prey outright. This bat mostly eats large insects and is one of the few bat species to eat caterpillars; it may supplement its insect diet with cacti fruit. This desert species can be found in scrub habitat of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. It is not well-suited to long flight and does not migrate nor hibernate. Mothers rear one pup per year. The California leaf-nosed bat roosts in rocky areas, caves, and mines and can survive to 20-30 years of age in the wild. Information used to populate this page was obtained from the following sources: NatureServe Explorer United States Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Conservation Online System Bat Conservation International Bat Profiles National Atlas of the United States. (2011). North American Bat Ranges, 1830-2008. National Atlas of the United States. Available at: http://purl.stanford.edu/pz329xp4277. Taylor, M. 2019. Bats: an illustrated guide to all species. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books. Conservation Status Previous Next

Back to Search ERROR WARNING: Audio Recording Time not within Start and End Times HOW TO RESOLVE: A survey window conflict occurs when a record's timestamp ('Audio Recording Time') falls outside the reported 'Survey Start Time' and 'Survey End Time'. For acoustic datasets, address errors based on the number of records affected. A few error rows can be removed or resolved through manual adjustments to the Audio Recording Time. If many records are affected, check for consistent time offsets or other systematic shifts, then resolve by batch-shifting times for uniform offsets, removing pre/post-survey recordings that fall outside the actual survey period, or extending the survey window to include legitimately captured records. ADDED EXPLANATION: To troubleshoot survey window conflicts, first check if timestamps align with known survey date(s) and times. If they do, detector misconfiguration is unlikely. If they differ, look for uniform shifts (e.g., in minutes, hours, or dates) that may have been caused by incorrect detector presets; these can be corrected by adjusting values in a spreadsheet or coding tool. Many applications let you add or subtract date/time values arithmetically. Note that detector datetime formats that include a "T" between date and time, or that include a time zone at the end (e.g., "-07.00") can make it difficult to arithmetically adjust timestamps in programs like Excel. If so, If so, use {Find/Replace} tools to swap the “T” for a space, and replace the time zone portion (e.g., “-07:00”) with a blank value, then re-format the column as a standard date/time. Records captured between detector recording-ON and survey start, or survey end and detector recording-OFF should be removed. Errored records resulting from inaccurate survey start/end times can be resolved by extending the listed survey start/end times to accommodate documented recording times.

2dac6b3f-3953-42f1-820a-cd67394eaaae Photo credit: BLM USFWS Next WNS & Listing Status Eumops perotis Order: Chiroptera Suborder: Yangochiroptera Family: Mollosidae Call characteristics: Low frequency caller (10-25 kHz) Weight 2 - 2 1/2 oz (56 - 70 g) Body Length 7 1/2 in (19 cm) There are various sources for bat species range maps including IUCN , NatureServe , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ECOS , and the National Atlas of the United States . US SWAP National List IUCN Red List Canada Species at Risk Mexico Greater Bonneted Bat The greater bonneted bat, also known as the greater mastiff bat, has brown to gray-brown fur that gets lighter on its belly and long ears which extend over its nose. This species ranges from the southwestern US south into Argentina. The greater bonneted bat is the largest bat species in the US with a two foot wingspan. This bat does not migrate or hibernate. This large bat roosts at least 20 ft high in small groups within rock fissures. They prefer to eat moths but also consume other flying insects. The greater bonneted bat can have a lifespan of 10-15 years in the wild. Information used to populate this page was obtained from the following sources: NatureServe Explorer United States Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Conservation Online System Bat Conservation International Bat Profiles National Atlas of the United States. (2011). North American Bat Ranges, 1830-2008. National Atlas of the United States. Available at: http://purl.stanford.edu/pz329xp4277. Taylor, M. 2019. Bats: an illustrated guide to all species. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books. Conservation Status Previous Next

Create Account Plan Project Collect Data Prep/Process Data Upload Data Data QA/QC Get Data Species Codes Resource Library PLAN YOUR NABAT PROJECT Jump to... Create a new NABat project Select GRTS Cells for monitoring Field Apps for Data Collection Saving transects for mobile surveys Saving survey sites on the map Create a New NABat Project Registered users can create new projects from the My Projects tab of the NABat Partner Portal . Users are free (but not required) to divide data into separate projects spatially or by survey type, but data should never be separated into distinct projects temporally (e.g., USGS NABat 2016, USGS NABat 2017, etc.). The following provides step-by-step guidance on creating a new NABat project. 1. Log into the NABat Partner Portal . First-time users will need to create an account . 2. Once logged in, navigate to the My NABat tab from the top menu bar. 3. Click the + New Project button located at the top right of the page. 4. Follow the prompts in the Project Wizard to enter the required information to create your new project. You will be prompted to enter Project Info > Project Members & Data > Project Summary information. Carefully read the NABat Data Use and Sharing Agreement when establishing your project's data sharing elections. 5. To finalize your new project, select the Create Project button. Project details can be edited at any time by clicking the green Edit Project button in the upper-right corner of your project's Details tab. Note: If your owning organization does not appear in the drop-down menu, please fill out the New Organization Form , and a member of the Technical Outreach team will add it to the NABat Partner Portal . Please allow up to 24 hours for the request to be processed. Select GRTS Cells for Monitoring The NABat Cell Selection Tool allows users to filter, select, order (based on GRTS priority ranking), and claim cells for monitoring while also indicating to other NABat partners where monitoring efforts are already occurring. This workflow ensures monitoring efforts follow the NABat sample design and reduces redundancy in monitoring efforts. 1. Log in to the NABat Partner Portal . First-time users will need to create an account . 2. Navigate to the My NABat tab from the main menu bar and select your project of interest project. 3. Click the Cell Selection Tool button on the right of your project's Details page; a new page will load with a map. The Cell Selection Tool features a complete map of all NABat GRTS cells in the project’s sample frame, along with an evaluation table that compiles GRTS cells based on user-applied filters. 4. Use the search bar above the map to apply spatial filters and select the area of interest. Users can add geographic or jurisdictional filters (e.g., state, county, land management agency, etc.) or locate cells based on GRTS ID, geographic coordinates, or NABat sampling priority. Users can also make custom selections using the drawing tool by clicking the Draw custom spatial filter button (polygon symbol) above the map. Cells within the selected area will appear with a light blue border. Users must the APPLY FILTER button (top-right corner of map) to activate the filter. Note: Spatial filters can be combined with AND/OR logic by clicking the gear icon (top-left corner of map). Users can also select/deselect cells with a double-click and select from a variety of map layers by hovering over the button in the top right corner of the map. 5. After filtering to the desired area, move to the Evaluation Table to the right of the map and tick boxes under the Select Survey Types header to indicate the type(s) of monitoring planned. Users can make multiple selections. Ticking boxes will update the table with the cells’ current selection status for the chosen monitoring types. Note: Cells that have already been selected for survey by another project are labeled as such. Links to details and contact information for the owning project will be provided. 6. Once cells are added to the table, they can be evaluated and selected for survey. Use the arrows in the GRTS Cell ID column header to cells by priority ranking (lower GRTS number = higher priority). Users should claim cells for survey beginning with the highest priority cell (i.e. lowest GRTS Cell ID) and working down the list, claiming as many cells for survey as resources will allow and only skipping cells based on factors like accessibility, project resources, etc. It is more important to monitor cells in priority order than to monitor many cells. If cells must be skipped, select an explanation from the drop down menu (e.g., Not safe, Logistical constraints, etc.). Note: Make use of the Bulk Change button to edit many cells simultaneously. 7. When cell evaluation is complete and final selections have been made, click the Save button (above the table) to apply cell selection changes to the project. All cells selected for survey will now appear on the project homepage (below the project map) with a green circle. 8. Return to the Cell Selection Tool at the conclusion of each field season/prior to the start of a new field season to reevaluate selections and ensure resources and circumstances allow the same level of effort as the prior season. If previously monitored cells will not be monitored in the upcoming season, those cells should be released so it is clear to other NABat users that they are now available for monitoring. If resources allow for additional monitoring in the upcoming season, users should follow GRTS priority order and claim as many additional cells as resources permit. Saving and Exporting Sites for Survey Survey locations can be saved in the NABat Partner Portal and exported for use in a handheld GPS unit. To create and export points: 1. Log in to the NABat Partner Portal. First-time users will need to create an account. 2. Navigate to the My Projects tab from the main menu bar and select a project. Scroll down to the project map. 3. NABat protocols for stationary acoustic surveys call for ≤ 1 detector per grid cell quadrant. Hover over the Map Layers button in the top right corner of the map and select the NABat GRTS Cells and CONUS 5km Grid Cells layers to visualize grid cells and their quadrants. Note: The Imagery layer may also be turned on to help identify potential detector locations. 4. Once a prospective site has been identified, select the Mark a survey location button (upper-left corner of map) and click the map to create a survey location. A dialogue box will appear on the map with details about the survey point, including latitude and longitude. 5. Click the Edit button in the bottom right corner of the dialogue box. Provide a name for the new survey location and use the Survey Type drop-down menu to indicate the type of survey point (i.e., “Stationary Detector”). Users may also enter a site description or adjust latitude and longitude values. Note: To use this point when uploading metadata, the Site Name provided in the bulk upload template must be an exact match to the Name of the point. 6. Click the Save button in the bottom of the dialogue box to update site details. 7. To export location information for saved points, click the Download KML | GeoJSON button, located in the top right of the map (immediately right of the Upload KML | GeoJSON button). 8. Once location data have been downloaded, they can be imported into a handheld GPS unit and used in the field. Saving and Exporting Transects for Mobile Surveys The latest Mobile Acoustic Transect Surveys Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) are available for download at the USGS publications warehouse here. Link directly to the Mobile Transect SOPs for Locating and Establishing Mobile Transect Routes and Field Season and Survey Preparation Click here for guidance on uploading mobile transect routes as a .KML or .GeoJSON file, or on drawing mobile transect routes using web-based mapping tools. Field Apps for Data Collection Considering using an app to collect data? Check out our list of some of the available field data apps and their features here .

4c756a0f-e6bc-459e-a43a-d1f018b7a0c0 Photo credit: Andrea Schuhmann USFWS Next WNS & Listing Status Perimyotis subflavus Order: Chiroptera Suborder : Yangochiroptera Family : Vespertilionidae Call characteristics: High frequency caller (~40 kHz range) Weight 1/8 - 1/4 oz (4.6 - 7.9 g) Body Length 3 - 3 1/2 in (7.7 – 8.9 cm) There are various sources for bat species range maps including IUCN , NatureServe , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ECOS , and the National Atlas of the United States . US SWAP National List IUCN Red List Canada Species at Risk Mexico Tricolored Bat The tricolored bat (previously known as the eastern pipistrelle) is one of the smallest species in North America, with a short face and large eyes and ears. Its name comes from the characteristically tri-colored fur on its back, which shifts from dark at the base, yellowish-brown in the middle, and reddish-brown at the tips. This species prefers open woodlands and woodland edges, especially areas near water. Maternity roosts can be found in dead or live foliage, while caves, mines, and other rock crevices are used for summer roosts and winter hibernation. Tricolored bats prey on flying insects such as moths, mosquitoes, and ants. This species has suffered rapid population declines due to white-nose syndrome. Information used to populate this page was obtained from the following sources: NatureServe Explorer United States Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Conservation Online System Bat Conservation International Bat Profiles National Atlas of the United States. (2011). North American Bat Ranges, 1830-2008. National Atlas of the United States. Available at: http://purl.stanford.edu/pz329xp4277. Taylor, M. 2019. Bats: an illustrated guide to all species. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books. Conservation Status Previous Next