BatsBats were only mentioned by Lewis and Clark a few times in the journals. Sometimes Lewis referred to birds that hunt at dawn and dusk, such as the common nighthawk, as “bats” and would differentiate from what we know as bats today by recording them as “leather-winged bats.” For leather-winged bats, there are only three mentions of bat presence, two of which were made during the Expedition’s stay at Fort Clatsop. No close or detailed observations appear to have been recorded. At the park today, we have confirmed seven species of bats, six of which are federally listed as Species of Concern. To better understand bat diversity within the park amidst the growing threat of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in the west, the park has joined Inventory & Monitoring networks, other parks, US Geological Survey, universities, state agencies and other federal land management agencies to implement the North American Bat Monitoring Program. Lewis and Clark NHP is part of the Northwestern Bat Hub, an effort to efficiently identify bat species from acoustic surveys. At the park, we host 2 bioacoustic devices that record bat sounds from April to August. The data collected informs what species of bats are present in the park. To learn about the Northwestern Bat Hub: The Northwestern Bat Hub: Banding Together for Bat Monitoring Across the West (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) Find out more about bats or Find Bats in Parks. BirdsOur migratory bird bioacoustic monitoring project is conducted in partnership with the National Park Service - Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division. This study measures changes in the timing of bird migration by quantifying the levels of bioacoustic activity throughout the migratory seasons . Acoustic data is collected annually at established monitoring sites and processed biannually to quantify the peak of spring migration and compare across years. We are currently recording data within two of our units. SoundscapesSoundscapes consist of all the sounds around us. This includes natural sounds from living organisms, ecological processes, and human associated non-natural sounds. Recording soundscapes over time can assist in long term monitoring research. Understanding this data can be helpful for tracking changes in species abundance over time and observing how a landscape can change with human influence. Check out the resource summary to learn more. |
Last updated: March 9, 2022