Soprano Pipistrelle
Pipistrellus pygmaeus
Also known as: 55 Khz Pipistrelle, Brown Pipistrelle, Pygmy Pipistrelle
Habitat
Aerial
Diet
Invertebrate
Active Time
Nocturnal
Size
5 g
About This Species
Look for erratic, fast fluttering flight over hedgerows, woodland edges and water at dusk, often the first bat on the wing after sunset. A bat detector tuned around 55 kHz picks up its distinctive echolocation calls, and summer roosts in tree cavities or roof spaces can produce dozens emerging within minutes. Warm, still evenings from May to September give the best activity.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Watch from a distance and avoid shining torches directly at roost entrances or handling any bat, since roosts and resting sites are legally protected across much of Europe and disturbing them can be an offence.
- Never touch a grounded or injured bat with bare hands; contact a local bat rescue group instead.
- Protection rules and licensing requirements vary by country, so check local guidance before inspecting a suspected roost site.
LCMammaliaChiropteraVespertilionidae
Seasonal Activity
357,376 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Chiroptera
- Family
- Vespertilionidae
Traits
- Diet
- Invertebrate
- Foraging
- Aerial
- Activity
- Nocturnal
- Body mass
- 5 g
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.