Journal article
Flexible roost selection by Gould's wattled bats (Chalinolobus gouldii) using bat boxes in an urban landscape
Lisa N Godinho, Linda F Lumsden, Graeme Coulson, Stephen R Griffiths
Australian Journal of Zoology | CSIRO Publishing | Published : 2020
DOI: 10.1071/ZO20022
Abstract
Bat boxes are often used as a conservation tool in human-disturbed landscapes across Australia; however, to assess their effectiveness we need to understand the factors influencing their occupancy by insectivorous bats. We investigated roost selection by Gould’s wattled bat (Chalinolobus gouldii) using 76 bat boxes, comprising six designs, across three sites in suburban Melbourne, Australia. We conducted monthly surveys for a year and recorded the physical characteristics of each box. Five species of bats were recorded but Gould’s wattled bats dominated box occupancy year-round at all three sites. Group sizes ranged from 1 to 58 individuals, with maternity colonies forming over summer. There..
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Funding Acknowledgements
Financial support for this study was provided by the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment (grant to LNG) and Bat Conservation International (grant to LNG). All animal capture and handling procedures were carried out under permits from the University of Melbourne Animal Ethics Committee (Ethics ID 0701162) and the (then) Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Victoria (Research Permit 10003144). We thank Robert Bender and staff at the La Trobe University Wildlife Sanctuary for help during fieldwork, Caragh Threlfall for comments on the manuscript, and Garry Anderson for assistance with the GEE modelling.