Whiskered
Bat
The whiskered bat Myotis
mystacinus is not much bigger than a pipistrelle
but they have a very different character. Whilst the pipistrelles
are usually calm when handled, the whiskered bat rarely stops
chattering. The 'open mouth' posture is not agressive but for
emitting ultrasonic calls, with which it constructs a 'sound
picture' of its surroundings.
The
open mouth turns the bats head into a very efficient loudspeaker.
When compared to the pipistrelle, a whiskered bat has a longer,
less rounded ear, with a much more pointed tragus. It is fairly
difficult, without close scrutiny, to differentiate from a Brandt's
bat.
