The Echological Bat Consultancy conducts Florida Bonneted Bat surveys to determine activity areas of this critically endangered species.

We are experts at assessing whether an area is used by the Florida Bonneted Bat and the type of habitat the area may provide.

Our aim is to provide cost-effective means for companies and organizations to meet federal requirements, while also facilitating the protection of the species and minimizing human-bat conflicts.

Find out more about what we do and how we can help you on our services section.

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About the Florida Bonneted Bat

The Florida Bonneted Bat / Photo credit: Dustin Smith / www.flickr.com/dsmiami

The Florida Bonneted Bat (Eumops floridanus) was listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as “in danger of extinction” by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 2013.

This listing provides the species full protection as directed by the ESA, against the “taking” (§3.19 “… harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct”) of individuals – intentionally or not– and provides protections for “the ecosystems upon which they depend.”

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Our Services

Florida Bonneted Bat Surveys

The EchoLogical Bat Consultants conduct full acoustic surveys as well as limited roost surveys that meet the requirements of the USFWS Florida Bonneted Bat (FBB) survey protocol in evaluating the bat activity of a property.

Using acoustic surveys, we identify the number and identity of bat species present on a property within the USFWS consultation area, with the FBB as a primary focus.

We can determine whether a property may serve as a foraging or roosting area for FBBs and asses the likelihood of impact on the bats due to changes, construction or renovations at a property.

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USFWS Florida Bonneted Bat Consultation Area (2019)

Surveying

The counties within the USFWS Florida Bonneted Bat (FBB) consultation area include: Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward, Collier, Lee, Henry, Charlotte, Glades, Highlands, Okeechobee, De Soto, Sarasota as well as portions of Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, Osceola, Polk and Hardee counties.

Bats produce echolocation calls (vocalizations) whenever they are in flight, in essence “to see.”  These calls are typically outside the range of human hearing (ultrasonic).

Automated ultrasonic acoustic recording equipment allows documentation of bat activity via recording echolocation calls with the subsequent analyses of calls to identify activity type (foraging, commuting, roost proximity), activity level, and identification for most species.

FBBs use echolocation calls that are of lower frequencies than all other species in Florida; in fact, their echolocation calls are audible to humans. This fact makes automated recording systems particularly effective at detecting the FBB.

Automated ultrasonic and sonic monitoring is the most pragmatic non-invasive method, for determining if FBBs are present.

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Need our help? 

We’re here to assist you in determining how best to proceed
with a full analysis of bat activity.

Contact us for a free bat survey plan and quote.

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Contact Us

Need our help?

We’re here to assist you in determining how best to proceed with a full analysis of bat activity. Contact us using the form below for a free bat survey plan and quote.