Bat Conservation Plan
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STATE OF WASHINGTON June 2013 Bat Conservation Plan by Gerald Hayes and Gary J. Wiles Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Wildlife Diversity Division Wildlife Program This is the Washington State Bat Conservation Plan. It gives an overview of bat biology, habitat requirements, relationships to public health, legal and conservation status, conservation and management activities, and known or potential threats to bats. The plan summarizes the historical and current distribution and abundance of each of the 15 bat species found in Washington, with information also provided on identification, taxonomy, habitat, natural history, threats, and conservation measures. The plan also outlines strategies and tasks needed to implement conservation and protection of bats in Washington. The draft conservation plan was reviewed by researchers and technical staff from state and federal agencies, and regional experts. This review was followed by a 30-day public comment period. All comments received were considered in preparation of the final conservation plan. For more information about bats, check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s web site (http://wdfw.wa.gov/) or email the Department at [email protected]. This report should be cited as: Hayes, G. and G. J. Wiles. 2013. Washington bat conservation plan. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington. 138+viii pp. Cover photo by Michael Durham Title page and back cover illustrations by Darrell Pruett WASHINGTON STATE BAT CONSERVATION PLAN Gerald Hayes and Gary J. Wiles Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Wildlife Program 600 Capitol Way N Olympia, Washington June 2013 June 2013 ii Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...........................................................................................................v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................vii INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER 1: NATURAL HISTORY AND STATUS ..............................................................2 NATURAL HISTORY ................................................................................................................... 2 Reproduction and Longevity .............................................................................................. 2 Echolocation ...................................................................................................................... 3 Foraging Behavior and Diet ............................................................................................... 3 Torpor ................................................................................................................................ 5 Roosting Behavior ............................................................................................................. 6 Movements and Migration ................................................................................................. 8 HABITAT REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................... 9 Roosting Habitat ................................................................................................................ 9 Caves and Mines .............................................................................................................9 Cliffs, Talus, and Boulders ...............................................................................................11 Buildings and Bridges .....................................................................................................11 Trees .................................................................................................................................12 Bat Houses and Other Artificial Roosts ...........................................................................17 Foraging and Commuting Habitat ................................................................................... 17 PUBLIC HEALTH ....................................................................................................................... 19 Rabies ............................................................................................................................... 19 Histoplasmosis ................................................................................................................. 19 LEGAL AND CONSERVATION STATUS ................................................................................. 20 Federal .............................................................................................................................. 20 State .................................................................................................................................. 20 CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES .......................................................... 21 Surveys and Research ...................................................................................................... 21 Protection of Species and Habitats .................................................................................. 23 Bat Conservation Organizations and Conservation Planning for Bats ............................ 24 CONSERVATION ISSUES ......................................................................................................... 25 Habitat Loss and Alteration ............................................................................................. 25 Forest Management .........................................................................................................25 Agricultural Land Use .....................................................................................................26 Urbanization ....................................................................................................................28 Mine Closures and Renewed Mining ..............................................................................28 Wind Energy Development .............................................................................................. 28 Human Disturbance of Roosting Bats .............................................................................. 31 White-nose Syndrome ...................................................................................................... 32 Environmental Contaminants ........................................................................................... 34 Climate Change ................................................................................................................ 35 CHAPTER 2: SPECIES ACCOUNTS ....................................................................................37 Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) ................................................................................... 38 California Myotis (Myotis californicus) .......................................................................... 42 Canyon Bat (Parastrellus hesperus) ................................................................................ 45 Fringed Myotis (Myotis thysanodes) ............................................................................... 47 Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) ......................................................................................... 51 June 2013 iii Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Keen’s Myotis (Myotis keenii) ......................................................................................... 55 Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus) .......................................................................... 58 Long-legged Myotis (Myotis volans) ............................................................................... 62 Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus) ........................................................................................ 66 Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) ................................................................. 70 Spotted Bat (Euderma maculatum) .................................................................................. 74 Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) .................................................. 78 Western Long-eared Myotis (Myotis evotis) .................................................................... 83 Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) ........................................................ 87 Yuma Myotis (Myotis yumanensis) .................................................................................. 90 CHAPTER 3: CONSERVATION STRATEGIES AND TASKS ..........................................93 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................................109 PERSONAL COMUNICATIONS ............................................................................................. 128 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ......................................................................................................... 129 Appendix A. North American range maps for bat species that occur in Washington. .............. 131 Appendix B. Washington’s 39 counties. ................................................................................... 134 Appendix C. Washington Administrative Code 232-12-011, Revised Code of Washington 77.15.130, and WDFW Policy 5301. ............................................................................. 135 Appendix