Field Guide
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Soprano Pipistrelle
Pipistrellus pygmaeus
Not yet photographed by the community
Almost identical to Common Pipistrelle but echolocates higher.
Species Profile
Amber List (Birds of Conservation Concern equivalent for bats); common but with declining trends in some regions
- Lifespan
- 4–8 years in the wild, occasionally up to 11 years
- Size & Weight
- 3.5–4.5 cm body length, wingspan 19–22 cm; 2.5–5 g
- Habitat
- Woodland edges, parks, gardens, and hedgerows with scattered trees, often near water; roosts in buildings, bat boxes, and tree crevices.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; resident year-round with some local movement between summer and winter roosts.
- Diet
- Insectivorous, feeding on small flying insects including gnats, midges, small flies, and mosquitoes caught in flight.
- Prey
- Small Diptera (flies and midges), particularly Chironomidae (non-biting midges)
- Predators
- Tawny owls, sparrowhawks, domestic cats, and opportunistic avian predators
- Mating Season
- August to September (autumn mating period)
- Breeding
- Single litter of 1–2 pups (occasionally 3) born June to July; gestation approximately 40 days; young fledge at 3–4 weeks old.
- Behaviour
- Highly social and gregarious, often roosting in large colonies of dozens to hundreds of individuals. Emerges early in the evening to feed on small insects close to vegetation. Males establish territories and produce species-specific echolocation calls at higher frequencies than common pipistrelle.
- •The soprano pipistrelle was only recognised as a separate species from the common pipistrelle in 1999, despite occurring in the UK throughout the 20th century
- •It produces echolocation calls at 55 kHz frequency, compared to the common pipistrelle's 45 kHz, giving it its 'soprano' name
- •This species is the smallest bat in Britain, weighing less than a penny (1p coin)
- •Soprano pipistrelles are increasingly using artificial structures like wind turbines and buildings, adapting well to human landscapes
- •They can consume up to 3,000 small insects per night during peak feeding periods
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