Head to head
Nathusius's Pipistrelle vs Common Pipistrelle
Nathusius's Pipistrelle
VS Common Pipistrelle
Nathusius's pipistrelle and the common pipistrelle are two small European bats of the same genus, but one is a champion long-distance migrant and the other mostly stays close to home.
| Nathusius's Pipistrelle | Common Pipistrelle | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pipistrellus nathusii | Pipistrellus pipistrellus |
| Migration | One of Europe's longest-distance bats, with journeys of over two thousand kilometres recorded | Not specifically documented |
| Seasonal pattern | Spends summer in northeastern Europe and travels to the southwest for winter | Hibernates in a sheltered crevice until insects return |
| Hunting habitat | Forages over lakes, rivers, wetlands, and woodland edges | Flies fast and erratically along hedgerows, woodland edges, and around street lights |
| Roost and song | Males advertise with songs from tree-hole roosts in autumn | Often roosts in crevices and roof spaces of houses, with summer colonies of females |
| Route | Often follows coastlines and river valleys, and some cross the North Sea | Native to much of Europe, parts of western Asia, and North Africa |
| Main hazards | Migrating bats can be killed by wind turbines | Depends on roosts in buildings and on insect-rich habitat |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, though numbers are hard to survey | Least Concern, among the most common bats across its range |
Nathusius's Pipistrelle vs Common Pipistrelle: common questions
Which pipistrelle is a long-distance migrant?
Nathusius's pipistrelle, with journeys of over two thousand kilometres recorded between northeastern and southwestern Europe.
Which pipistrelle roosts in houses?
The common pipistrelle, which often roosts in crevices and roof spaces of houses.
Where do Nathusius's and common pipistrelles live?
Nathusius's pipistrelle lives across much of Europe and parts of western Asia, migrating between summer and winter areas, while the common pipistrelle lives across Europe, parts of western Asia, and North Africa.