Overview

• An international team tracked 14 greater noctules in southern Spain with miniature biologgers that logged position, altitude, acceleration and audio.
• Recordings captured high‑altitude hunting with rapid low‑frequency echolocation followed by steep attack dives characteristic of bird pursuits.
• One chase ended with a robin being eaten on the wing, documented by distress calls, sudden silence and 23 minutes of chewing sounds.
• Severed songbird wings collected on the ground carried greater noctule DNA and consistent break patterns, supporting wing removal to cut drag during flight.
• Researchers and conservationists say the rare species’ specialized behavior does not currently threaten songbird populations and call for protecting old‑growth roost habitats.