Mammals
Lesser Horseshoe Bat
Rhinolophus hipposideros · also called lesser horseshoe
Hanging upside down in the roof of an old barn, a lesser horseshoe bat wraps its wings around itself like a cloak, a bat about the size of a plum.
Overview
The lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros, is a Least Concern bat found across Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Its small size, horseshoe-shaped nose, and wing-wrapped roosting make it the smallest and one of the most distinctive of the European horseshoe bats.
A small bat with a big nose
The horseshoe-shaped nose-leaf focuses the bat’s echolocation calls, which it uses to hunt tiny flies and moths close to hedges and woodland.
Status
Least Concern, widespread, though it has declined in places from roost loss.
Lesser Horseshoe Bat: common questions
How big is the lesser horseshoe bat?
It is a tiny bat, around the size of a plum, and the smallest of the European horseshoe bats.
Why is it called a horseshoe bat?
It has a horseshoe-shaped flap of skin on its nose through which it sends out its echolocation calls.
Why does the lesser horseshoe bat wrap itself in its wings?
It hangs freely from a roof or ceiling with its wings wrapped around its body like a cloak.
Where is the lesser horseshoe bat found?
It lives across Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, including Ireland and western Britain.