Research Interests

The research in my lab focuses on the behavioural and physiological ecology of mammals and birds. We are particularly interested in the relationships among roosting and foraging behaviour, thermoregulation, reproduction and life histories of bats. The ability to use torpor provides bats with a means of saving energy, but torpor is detrimental to offspring growth and avoidance of predators. We are thus investigating how bats select roosts to balance predation risk and thermoregulatory benefits. As suitable roosts may limit the distribution of bats, we are also using DNA techniques to determine the landscape-scale patterns of movement among populations.

We also study the effects of various types of disturbance on bats. For example, we are investigating the causes and consequences of migratory-bat fatalities at wind energy facilities, and the impact of urbanization on prairie bats. In the Yukon, we are studying how bats cope with short seasons, low temperatures and short nights, and how logging, fire and bark-beetle infestations influence habitat selection.

Courses Taught F09-W10

Graduate Students

Awards

2007 - Faculty of Science Public Outreach Award 
2005 - Faculty of Graduate Studies Award for Outstanding Achievement in Graduate Supervision
2004 - Canadian Society of Zoologists' Public Awareness of Science Award
2002 - Gerrit S. Miller Award for Contributions to the Study of Chiropteran Biology
2000 - Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Scholar Award

Selected Publiations

• Barclay, R.M.R., E.F Baerwald, and J.C. Gruver. 2007. Variation of bird and bat fatalities at wind energy facilities: assessing the effects of rotor size and tower height. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 85:381-387 (pdf file - 96 kb)
• Jacobs, D.S., R.M.R. Barclay, and M.H. Walker. 2007. The allometry of echolocation call frequencies of insectivorous bats: why do some species deviate from the pattern? Oecologia.
• Lausen, C.L. and R.M.R. Barclay. 2006. Benefits of living in a building: big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in rocks versus buildings. Journal of Mammalogy. 87:362-370. (pdf file - 112 kb)
• Solick, D.I. and R.M.R. Barclay. 2006. Morphological differences among western long-eared bat (Myotis evotis) populations in different environments.. Journal of Mammalogy. 87: 1020-1026. (pdf file - 124 kb)
• Solick, D.I. and R.M.R. Barclay. 2006. Thermoregulation and roosting behaviour of reproductive and non-reproductive female western long-eared bats (Myotis evotis) in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta.Canadian Journal of Zoology. 84:589-599. (pdf file - 180 kb)
• Camaclang, A.E., L.M. Hollis, and R.M.R. Barclay. 2006. Variation in body temperature and the isolation calls of juvenile big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus): consequences for individual recognition. Animal Behaviour. 71: 657-662. (pdf file - 192 kb)
• Proctor, M.F., B.N. McLellan, C. Strobeck and R.M.R. Barclay. 2005. Genetic analysis reveals demographic fragmentation of grizzly bears yielding vulnerably small populations. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B. 272:2409-2416.
• Proctor, M. F., B. N. McLellan, C. Strobeck and R.M.R. Barclay. 2004. Gender-specific dispersal distances of grizzly bears estimated from genetic analysis. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 82: 1108-1118. (pdf file - 600 kb)
• Barclay, R.M.R. and seven others. 2004. Variation in the reproductive rate of bats. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 82: 688-693. (pdf file - 116 kb)
• Barclay, R. M. R., et al. 2004. Variation in the reproductive rate of bats. Can. J. Zool. 82. 688-693 (pdf file - 116 kb)
• Patriquin, K.J., L.K. Hogberg, B.J. Chruszcz, and R.M.R. Barclay. 2003. The influence of habitat structure on the ability to detect ultrasound using bat detectors. Wildlife Society Bulletin. 31: 475-481.
• Chruszcz, B.J. and R.M.R. Barclay. 2003. Prolonged foraging bouts of a solitary gleaning/hawking bat, Myotis evotis. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 81: 823-826. (pdf file - 52 kb)
• Lausen, C. and R.M.R. Barclay. 2003. Thermoregulation and roost selection by reproductive female big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) roosting in rock crevices. J. Zool London 260, 235-244 (pdf file - 140 kb)
• Patriquin, K. and R.M.R. Barclay. 2003. Foraging of bats in cleared, thinned and unharvested boreal forest. Journal of Applied Ecology. 40:646-647. (pdf file - 204 kb)
• Lausen, C. and R.M.R. Barclay. 2002. Roosting behaviour and roost selection of female big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) roosting in rock crevices in southeastern Alberta. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 80:1069-1076. (pdf file - 60 kb)
• Chruszcz, B.J. and R.M.R. Barclay. 2002. Thermoregulation and roost selection by a solitary bat in southeastern Alberta, Canada. Functional Ecology. 16:18-26. (pdf file - 240 kb)
• Barclay, R. M. R. 2002. Do plants pollinated by flying fox bats provide an extra calcium reward in their nectar? Biotropica. 34:168-171.
• LaMontagne, J., R.M.R. Barclay, and L. Jackson. 2001. Trumpeter swan behaviour at spring-migration stopover areas in southern Alberta. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 79: 2036-2042.
• Barclay, R.M.R. and R.M. Brigham. 2001. Year-to-year reuse of tree-roosts by California bats (Myotis californicus) in southern British Columbia. American Midland Naturalist. 146: 80-85.
• Barclay, R.M.R., C.L. Lausen, and L. Hollis. 2001. What's hot and what's not: defining torpor in free-ranging birds and mammals. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 79: 1885-1890. (pdf file - 300 kb)
• Holloway G.L. and R.M.R. Barclay. 2000. Importance of prairie riparian zones to bats in southeastern Alberta. Écoscience. 7:115-122