About Urban Bat Project

What kind of person studies bats???

Hi! My name is Nic Comparato (they/them, IG: @lesscommonloons), I'm a wildlife biologist with NYC Bird Alliance and a PhD student with the Aronson Lab for Urban Ecological Studies at Rutgers University. I specialize in the recording and analysis of bat sonar. My research is focused on understanding the strategies bats use to move and survive in the city.

Urban Bat Project NYC is a personal project I am launching in 2025. The mission of the project is threefold:

Help my fellow New Yorkers learn about and experience their local bats
Open my research to the community so that we can work together towards better understand urban bats
Convert as many people as possible to bat fans

Can't just tell you I'm a bat scientist without proof right?! Pictured here with my fav species, the hoary bat.

I also produce a science-themed drag show, They Blinded Me With Science! Come check us out the first Sunday of every month at The Flying Fox Tavern in Ridgewood, Queens

Setting up my sonar recording equipment in Green-Wood Cemetery in 2024. This cemetery hosts a ton of bat activity, come see for yourself on one of my guided bat walks!

What is the research behind Urban Bat Project and how does it help bats?

My research is focused on the interplay between the unique weather conditions and obstacles of the urban environment that make migration through places like NYC a challenge. I cannot emphasize how little we know about bat migration in general. Here in NYC, we are still at the stage of figuring out what steps we can take to support our local bats. With this in mind, the research objectives of Urban Bat Project are currently:

Assess where bats are commonly spotted in NYC
Identify migratory routes bats take in navigating NYC under different conditions
Identify crucial habitat areas outside of major parks in the city

I am also open to research ideas from the community. If you have a suggestion for a research objective, reach out and we can chat about how to incorporate it.

Special Thanks

I am fortunate to have a lot of talented friends that have helped me in developing Urban Bat Project. Special thanks go out to Christine Cieslak, Haley Cotton, Tyler Olin, Adam Dreifus, Sam Sam Graves, and Sarah Robinson

Photo Credits: Eastern Red Bat on Homepage - Brock and Sheri Fenton (absolute bat legends), Hoary Bat on the Bat Facts page - Lisa Bate, All other photos - Merlin Tuttle (arguably the most famous bat scientist).

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