Bats

Order: Chiroptera

Quick facts

• Bats are the only true flying mammals.
  
• A tiny pipistrelle can consume up to 3,000 ​insects per night.
  
• Bat-adapted plants provide products like ​dates, vanilla, bananas, and Tequila.
  
• Bats are more closely related to humans ​than to mice.
  
• Typically, bats have one baby a year and ​can live up to 30 years.
  

There are 18 species of bat in the UK and ​half of that number call Burnham Beeches ​home. Many species like to roost in holes ​and crevices in trees – fortunately our ​ancient trees have plenty of those! These ​tiny mammals emerge at dusk and use ​echolocation to detect their prey – ​normally small midges and flies or moths ​(depending upon the bat species). As ​each species uses a different frequency ​of echolocation, they can be identified ​on an electronic bat detector.

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