At dusk, a Common Noctule silently bursts from a hollow tree, its wings slicing through the evening air. This is one of Europe’s largest bats, perfectly adapted for high-speed twilight flight.

Migrating hundreds and hundreds of miles is hard work for the common noctule bat. But this European species makes its marathon journey a little bit easier by paying attention to the weather.

The team followed the movements of 71 female noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula) across central Europe during their spring migrations.

Cellular superpowers In forests near the University of Greifswald lab, the scientists captured 35 wild noctule bats, which hibernate in large colonies.

Migrating hundreds and hundreds of miles is hard work for the common noctule bat. But this European species makes its marathon journey a little bit easier by paying attention to the weather.

Science | NPR Bats catch a lift from storm winds on long-distance migrations Migrating hundreds and hundreds of miles is hard work for the common noctule bat. But this European species makes its ...

Researchers tracked 71 common noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula) to parse their migration patterns. Kamran Safi / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior More than 1,400 species of bats exist ...