Common Pipistrelle calls

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Bat calls vary a lot.  To start with there are both echolocation and social calls, but it is often difficult to discriminate between the two.  Typically echolocation calls have a well-defined structure and since they have a quite specific function (to maximise information about the environment in their echoes) that structure is generally consistent and if not species specific at least a given species can be considered to produce echolocation calls of a given generic type and characteristic frequency.  Social calls, especially 'little bat swear words' tend to be louder, noisier and less well structured.

However, nothing is that simple or clear cut. Echolocation calls can vary widely in frequency, between individuals, between different environments and between localities.  On top of that, some species (such as Pipistrelles) can vary the type and structure of call in ways that are not always fully understood.  This can lead to sequences containing calls that are atypical and may have a social function or may be for some subtle echolocation function or possibly fulfill both roles simultaneously.

The images below show a variety of call types attributed to Common Pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) recorded in SE England over several years and showing some of the variations that can be encountered.  The 'normal' echolocation pulse for this species is generally described as a 'hockey stick' - an fm sweep with an almost constant frequency tail at a characteristic frequency around 45kHz.  In the open the bat may use just cf pulses up to 10ms long and in clutter or during an interception manouvre (or indoors) the bat uses just the fm sweep part of the pulse.

In practice, there is a full continuum of shapes between the extremes as well as many subtle (or not so subtle) variations.

The sonagrams were generated by Audacity with an FFT size of 1024 and a Hanning window function.  Sample rates are either 192ksps or 384ksps and the normal display has a frequency axis up to 96kHz.  Fiducial lines are included at 40, 50 and 60kHz and vertical markers placed 100ms apart.  In some cases the frequency scale may be altered to show specific features more clearly and the time axis is selected to suit the features being displayed.  The images were obtained through a screen capture with Audacity set to fill the screen on a 1080p display.

 

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