Data from: Bats surf storm fronts during spring migration

Long-distance migration, common in passerine birds, is rare and poorly studied in bats. Piloting a novel 1.2 g IoT (Internet of Things) tag with onboard processing we tracked the daily location, temperature, and activity of female common noctules (Nyctalus noctula) during spring migration across central Europe up to 1116 km. Over three years, 71 bats migrated tens to hundreds of kilometers per night, predominantly with incoming warm fronts, providing them with wind support. Bats also showed surprising flexibility in their ability to migrate across a wide range of conditions if needed. However, females leaving towards the end of the season showed higher total activity per distance traveled, a possible cost for their flexible migration timing.