The Noctule bat is one of the largest of our seventeen native bat species. It can be found all over the country in marshes, meadows, in large woodland clearings, parks and sometimes in large mature gardens. It is one of the easiest bats to spot due to its size and its overall golden brown fur. It also has a loud call which can be heard up to three hundred metres away on hot summer days.

The Noctule Bat has a blackish brown face and large black-brown ears that are triangular-shaped. It has a wingspan of thirty-two to forty-five centimetres which is almost the same length as an adult human forearm. Its wings are long, narrow and pointed at the tips. This bat is a powerful and fast flier that likes to fly high and direct.

In summer Noctule Bats almost exclusively roost in tree holes, but sometimes they roost in bat boxes. They leave their roosts at dusk and hunt for most of the night. They mainly feed on flying insects such as cockchafers and hawkmoths. In winter they hibernate in deep tree holes, rock crevices and occasionally in buildings where they sometimes sit on top of each other to keep each other warm.