One of the 2 noctules on WAnimals
Mammals · Chiroptera · Vespertilionidae
Giant Noctule
Nyctalus lasiopterus
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
The largest bat in Europe, with a wingspan of up to 46 cm. A single-coloured coat, dense and glossy, from chestnut to reddish, with a paler belly. Short, broad, rounded ears with a large, kidney-shaped tragus. Long, narrow wings inserted at the ankle, adapted to high, fast flight.
Weight
35 g – 76 g
Size
6.1 cm – 10.4 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Colony
Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Estimated population
Up to 10,000 mature individuals globally according to the IUCN. Fewer than 200 individuals are estimated in the Spanish Pyrenees
Fun facts
- GeneralThe largest bat in Europe and the only one that takes migrating birds on the wing.
- In October 2025 a team from the EBD-CSIC and Aarhus University published in Science the first sound recording of a noctule chasing, catching and eating a robin in mid-air without landing: 21 distress calls from the bird followed by 23 minutes of chewing sounds.
- In order to eat such bulky prey in flight it cuts off their wings, reducing both weight and drag.
- Its echolocation frequencies lie above the hearing range of birds, a private sensory channel its prey cannot detect.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Mature woodland and dehesa with old trees
Sources consulted: IUCN Red List; SECEM; SECEMU; Ibáñez et al. 2001, PNAS 98; Popa-Lisseanu et al. (isótopos estables); Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC) y Universidad de Aarhus 2025, Science; MITECO
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: From spring to autumn; it leaves its roosts late at night, once it is completely dark
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 122 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Giant Noctule — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Serotine
Eptesicus serotinus
Common Pipistrelle
Pipistrellus pipistrellus
Grey Long-Eared Bat
Plecotus austriacus
Greater Mouse-eared Bat
Myotis myotis
Western Barbastelle
Barbastella barbastellus
Natterer's Bat
Myotis nattereri
How to help
The giant noctule is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 10 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about giant noctule.
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