Homing, Movements, and Longevity of Bats

Abstract

As far as is known, bats were first banded in the United States in 1916, when Dr. A. A. Allen, an ornithologist, marked five pipistrelles with bird bands (Allen, 1921). Little banding of bats was done during the next 16 years; in fact it was not until 1932 that intensive studies were undertaken. Between 1932 and 1951 a total of 67,279 bats were banded in the United States and Canada. Over 50,000 of these were banded in caves, usually in the wintertime while the bats were in the inactive hibernating condition (Mohr, 1953). Most of these studies were made in the eastern United States.