Wildlife
Brown long-eared bats, as their name suggests, have strikingly large ears. These large appendages are three quarters the length of the bat's head and body. When resting, the bats fold their ears and hold them backwards. They have a slow and fluttering flight, often close to the ground, which makes them vulnerable to predation from domestic cats. In the summer, they roost in tree holes, bat and bird boxes and attics. In the winter, they hibernate in cellars, tunnels and caves, usually alone.
Scientific name: Plecotus auritus
Rank: Species
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Belfry bats
A ruined friary is home to some of Ireland's varied bat species.
A ruined friary is home to some of Ireland's varied bat species.
Bat facts
Tiny pipistrelles and long-eared bats are inspected and compared.
Tiny pipistrelles and long-eared bats are inspected and compared.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Brown long-eared bat can be found in a number of locations including: Asia, Europe, Indian subcontinent, Mediterranean, Russia, United Kingdom, Wales. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Brown long-eared bat distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Population trend: Stable
Year assessed: 2008
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The brown long-eared bat or common long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus) is a fairly large European bat. It has distinctive ears, long and with a distinctive fold. It is extremely similar to the much rarer grey long-eared bat which was only validated as a distinct species in the 1960s.
An adult brown long-eared bat has a body length of 4.5-4.8 cm, a tail of 4.1-4.6 cm, and a wing length of 4-4.2 cm. The ears are 3.3-3.9 cm in length, and readily distinguish this from most other bat species.
They are relatively slow flyers compared to other bat species.
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Parkland
Broadleaf forest
Coniferous forest
Urban
Helpless young
Carnivorous
Colonial
Adapted to flying
Hibernation
Maternal care
Nocturnal
Echolocation and ultrasound
Viviparous