Advancing the use of Motus to track migratory bat movement throughout the year

Conservation of migratory species requires cross-border collaboration within and beyond the United States to coordinate conservation measures over the entire species phenology. Understanding movement patterns and habitat use throughout the year is essential to coordinating these efforts. A total of 44 states identify at least one of the three long-distance migratory bats (silver-haired, red, and hoary bats) as vulnerable, imperiled, or a species of conservation concern. All species are considered by NatureServe to have a high degree of threats, primarily from energy development and habitat loss; although threats from drought, fire, and temperature extremes are also identified as important. Perceived population declines have already led to an endangered assessment of all three species in Canada and addition of the hoary bat to the USFWS workplan for potential listing under the Endangered Species Act. Documenting migratory phenology of bats has been hindered by a lack of ability to track long-term movement. Recent advances in radio-transmitter technology and increased coverage of the Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus) network provide opportunity to track long-distance migratory bat movement. However, this requires the use of advanced attachment techniques that are not commonly used in the United States. Long-term attachment methods (>4 months) are available but are rarely used due to a lack of accessibility or familiarity. Attachment of tracking technology with collars is a proven method for small bat species and is regularly used to attach tracking devices to migratory insectivorous bats in Europe, and insectivorous and frugivorous bats in Central America. Collar attachment of transmitters is not commonly used in the United States, but Bat Conservation International (BCI) is currently pioneering the use of collars to track the Florida bonneted bat and cave myotis. The greatest barrier to deploying transmitters capable of long-duration tracking of migratory bats is a lack of knowledge on how to safely use collars. We propose to advance the use of Motus for tracking migratory bat movement by building regional and state capacity to safely use collars to attach tracking devices to bats. This will be applicable to current Motus tracking devices and future technologies (e.g., GPS) that can document the movement and habitat use of migratory bats across the annual cycle. We will train state biologists in the Northeast and Southeast on the safe use of collar attachments through a series of online and in-person workshops that provide hands-on experience with the method. Furthermore, we will develop resources that can be referenced in permitting materials. Through our workshops and targeted capture efforts in the Northeast, we will deploy up to 205 tracking devices compatible with the Motus network and two new Motus stations. These efforts will help demonstrate the utility of collar attachments while simultaneously providing data on migratory movement and habitat use of bat species of conservation concern. All materials and movement data will be made easily available to stakeholders through BCI and the Motus website.  We propose to focus on long-distance migratory bat species due to their wide range across the United States and an urgent need to understand their movement patterns. This information will aid conservation efforts and potentially reduce regulatory burdens and the need for legal protection. The methods and materials that we develop will be relevant beyond our targeted regions and species as collars become more familiar to state, federal, academic, and private sector biologists and are used more widely by bat biologists.