How to observe
Bats are mostly nocturnal, and can be difficult to observe.
Follow these tips to maximize your chances of seeing a bat.
If you are near a body of water at dusk, be on the lookout for bats. Whether you're in the countryside or in a city center, you'll have a good chance of spotting them on calm nights.
The best conditions for observing bats
Although bat species are nocturnal, the best time of day to observe them is at dusk, when they leave their shelters to search for food and it is not yet completely dark. The same occurs just before sunrise when bats return to their shelters. If you prefer to observe them when it is completely dark, you may hear some bat species, such as the long-tailed bat, or detect them with an ultrasound detector, but you won’t be able to see them.
Nos meses de verão existe uma maior atividade de morcegos, devido ao aumento das suas presas favoritas, os insetos, e por isso, são mais fáceis de observar durante este período.
Se optar por procurar morcegos durante o Halloween, saiba que as suas hipóteses de os observar serão mais baixas diminuir, já que nesta altura do ano eles estão a preparar-se para hibernarem.
Top tips for spotting bats
Choose an area with low light
Some bat species avoid street lighting, preferring to fly in darkness, so look for places with minimal light pollution. Don’t forget to bring a flashlight to help you return home after your observations.
Arrive a little before sunset
Bats are easier to detect at dusk, when they leave their shelters to search for food.
Look near water
Bats need to hydrate as much as we do. That’s why, often, you can observe them descending from the sky to drink some water.
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In these areas, it is also common to observe water bats hunting just above the water's surface, capturing insects with their feet and feeding while in flight.
Go out on a dry and calm night
Bats don’t like to hunt insects on humid or rainy nights, as their echolocation system doesn’t work as well in these adverse atmospheric conditions. Therefore, flying in the rain or on windy nights leads to increased energy consumption and hunting trips with low energy return.
Choose a good location
Position yourself on a bridge over a river or stream to get a good view in both directions. Alternatively, you can look for a straight section of the watercourse to observe as far as possible. Another good spot is clearings in forests, usually surrounded by mature trees. These locations often shelter swarms of flying insects, where bats frequently hunt.
Join a bat walk
On our bat walks, a bat specialist will be present to discuss various topics related to bats. If you are interested in hosting a bat walk, please contact us.
Bring the right tools
If you have a pair of binoculars, take them with you. As the day turns to night, they will become less useful, but they can help you get a better view of the bats while there's still light. Avoid pointing lights directly at the bats; if necessary, use a red light to preserve your night vision and move safely in the dark. Red light is less disruptive to nocturnal wildlife and is the most suitable for observing animals without disturbing them.
Enhance your experience with a bat detector
To dive even deeper into the world of bats, you can acquire a bat detector to enhance your experience. There are various models available on the market, including some that connect to your smartphone or tablet, allowing you to hear the sounds emitted by bats while they fly — sounds that are undetectable by the human ear. By using the sound frequency, you can determine the species (or genus) of the bat flying in front of you.
Which bat species might you observe?
In Portugal, there are 29 species of bats, which vary depending on the location within the country. You can consult the list of bat species in Portugal to get to know our species better. At least two species can only be observed in the Azores and Madeira archipelagos.
