Energy saving strategies in the common noctule bat, Nyctalus noctula

In my PhD I investigate energy management strategies of male and female noctule bats across different reproductive stages. Using heart rate telemetry and a combination of laboratory experiments and field observations, I investigated torpor use strategies in captive female bats (Chapter 1) and compared torpor use behavior in captive and free-ranging male bats (Chapter 2). I will also present my plans and preliminary results from Chapter 3, in which I use high resolution heart rate data to investigate how free-ranging male bats budget their energy in different reproductive stages.