Lesser noctule
Nyctalus leisleri
The lesser noctule or the Leisler's bat, is a species of insectivorous bat belonging to the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. The species was named to honour the naturalist Johann Philipp Achilles Leisler.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_noctule
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Chiroptera
Family
Vespertilionidae
Genus
Nyctalus
Lesser noctule belongs to the family Vespertilionidae, order Chiroptera, within the Mammalia class.
Species Profile
The lesser noctule or the Leisler's bat, is a species of insectivorous bat belonging to the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. The species was named to honour the naturalist Johann Philipp Achilles Leisler.
The Lesser noctule faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from deforestation and urbanization, which destroys crucial roosting sites in old-growth forests. Wind energy development poses an additional significant threat through direct mortality from turbine strikes, while climate change is altering the distribution and abundance of insect prey species that these bats depend upon for survival.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
The lesser noctule is found locally across Europe and western Asia, eastwards as far as the Urals and Himalayas. It is also found in north-west Africa, the Canary Islands and Madeira. The form in the Azores is often considered to be a separate species – Azores noctule (Nyctalus azoreum). It is typically found in forests, both coniferous and deciduous, but has also adapted to parkland and urban...
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Lesser noctule faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from deforestation and urbanization, which destroys crucial roosting sites in old-growth forests. Wind energy development poses an additional significant threat through direct mortality from turbine strikes, while climate change is altering the distribution and abundance of insect prey species that these bats depend upon for survival.
Habitat loss and deforestation
Loss of roosting sites in old trees
Wind turbine mortality
Climate change impacts on prey availability
Light pollution disrupting foraging behavior
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Lesser noctule (Nyctalus leisleri). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/lesser-noctule