Meet the animals behind the facts.

Savanna, grassland, woodland and scrub with diggable soil and termite mounds

Rocks, pilings and shells in the mid and upper intertidal zone of cold and temperate shores

Oak and pine-oak woodland from the western United States to Colombia

Burrows in intertidal muddy sand on sheltered shores

Ice-free rocky coastal Antarctica in summer, pack ice in winter

Savanna, floodplain grassland, swamp and forest depending on subspecies

Savanna and grassland with seasonal shallow pans, spending dry months burrowed

Savanna, grassland, woodland and semi-desert across sub-Saharan Africa

Warm still and slow-moving fresh water, including ponds, ditches and reservoirs

Farmland, gardens and open country; breeds mainly in Africa and southern Europe

Swamps, small forest streams and seasonally flooded rainforest

Dense tropical moist forest and forest clearings of Central and West Africa

Lowland moist forest, forest edge and adjacent savannah woodland in West and Central Africa

Freshwater lakes, ponds and swamps carrying floating vegetation such as water lilies

Sunlit temporary pools, hoofprints, borrow pits and rice fields near human settlement

Savanna, grassland, forest edge and riverbanks, usually within reach of water

Sahel scrub and desert margin with sparse grass and hard, diggable soil

Savannah, open woodland, grassland and semi-arid scrub

Cold shelf and slope waters of the North Pacific, semi-pelagic over depths of tens to hundreds of metres

Temperate and subtropical open ocean, from the surface layer down to several hundred metres

Raised coral atoll with grassland, scrub and mangrove, little fresh water and no permanent streams

Large slow rivers, oxbow lakes, bayous and brackish coastal waters

Deep, slow rivers, oxbow lakes and bayous with submerged timber

High Andean grassland and wet puna above about 3,500 metres, and farmland worldwide

Rocky alpine slopes above the treeline, descending in winter

Alpine meadows and pastures above the treeline, roughly 800 to 3,200 metres

Cool ponds, pools and slow water, with woodland or meadow surroundings

Tropical and subtropical forest floor, caves and leaf litter in northern South America

Freshwater rivers, lakes and flooded forests of the Amazon basin

Water-filled tree holes high in the canopy of primary rainforest

Rivers, lakes and seasonally flooded forest of the Amazon and Orinoco basins

Freshwater swamps, marshes, rivers and lakes of the southeastern United States

Open grassland, prairie, sagebrush steppe and farmland with diggable soil

Grassland, prairie and open montane valley

Forest and forest edge across a very wide range of North American climates

Permanent ponds, lakes, slow rivers and marshes with vegetated margins

Grassland and open woodland with well-drained soil and abundant vertebrate carrion

Warm damp environments including sewers, basements, drains and food premises

Freshwater marshes, ponds, reservoirs and sheltered coastal bays in winter

Coastal mangroves, brackish lagoons, estuaries and river mouths

Grassy fields, scrub, trail edges and open woodland rather than deep forest

Rivers, lakes and estuaries of the Atlantic coast of the Americas, with a marine spawning area in the Sargasso Sea

Weedy fields, floodplains, orchards, roadsides and gardens

Rocky and muddy seabeds from the shoreline to about 480 metres, chiefly in cold coastal water

Large, slow, turbid rivers and connected reservoirs and backwaters

Talus slopes and rockfalls in alpine and subalpine mountains

Lawns, fields, woodland and gardens across a wide range of open habitats

Atlantic coastal waters and the large rivers of eastern North America during spawning runs; introduced to the Pacific coast

Humid montane forest on steep terrain, usually near streams and rocky outcrops

High mountains, adjacent grassland and Pacific coastal cliffs

Chaparral, oak woodland, gardens and urban parks of the Pacific coast of North America

Sub-Antarctic islands and surrounding Southern Ocean waters

Open Southern Ocean, from the surface to several hundred metres, strongly associated with sea ice

Southern Ocean pack ice and open water, migrating to lower latitudes in winter

Dry, sheltered fine sand and dust, often under overhangs, eaves and tree bases

Originally arid desert regions of the Arabian Peninsula; now stables worldwide

Gravel desert, sand desert and arid steppe of the Arabian Peninsula

Floodplain lakes, oxbows and slow river channels of the Amazon basin

Arctic and alpine tundra, sea ice and coastal cliffs

Arctic tundra, rocky slopes and barren ground above the treeline

Arctic and subarctic coasts and tundra in summer, Antarctic pack ice edge in the southern summer

Mesic disturbed habitats, riverbanks, irrigated gardens and urban areas with shallow opportunistic nests

Sonoran Desert rocky slopes, riparian woodland and human buildings, often clinging to vertical surfaces

Rocky outcrops in arid succulent Karoo scrub

Lowland tropical rainforest floor and understorey

Open-water plankton of cool temperate and subarctic seas

Tropical and subtropical forest, scrub and grassland, often adjacent to cultivated land

Broadleaf trees, especially maple, willow, poplar and elm, in urban and rural woodland

Forest, plantation, parkland and village edge across tropical Asia

Moist soil and streambanks in tropical forest and plantation land

Mangroves, riverbanks, swamps, canals and urban waterways across tropical Asia

Open waters of the North Atlantic and Mediterranean, from cold northern feeding grounds to warm subtropical spawning areas

Warm open ocean, mostly in the upper mixed layer above the thermocline

Cool continental shelf waters of the North Atlantic, from near the surface to several hundred metres depth

Warm surface waters of the open ocean and outer shelf

Shallow reefs, wrecks, ledges and mangrove nurseries in warm coastal water

Cold deep waters of the North Atlantic continental shelf and slope, on sand, gravel and clay bottoms

Coastal and shelf waters of the North Atlantic, forming vast pelagic schools

Shallow coastal waters and sandy beaches, spawning in the intertidal zone

Open shelf waters of the North Atlantic, in the upper water column, moving inshore and offshore seasonally

Intertidal mudflats, mangrove swamps and estuaries

North Atlantic open ocean, breeding in burrows on cliff tops and offshore islands

Cool rivers of the North Atlantic basin and the open ocean feeding grounds off Greenland and the Faroe Islands

Soft-bottomed continental shelf and slope, from shallow bays to several hundred metres

Tropical and subtropical forest and secondary growth

Open woodland, river valleys, marsh margins and steppe

Shallow coastal waters, estuaries and creek mouths of northern Australia

Freshwater rivers, billabongs, gorges and upstream reaches

Caves, deep rock crevices and disused mines in tropical and arid northern Australia

Open woodland, grassland, farmland, parks and suburban gardens

Cool, high-altitude freshwater canals and lake remnants

Rainforest, dry deciduous forest, mangrove and plantation

Ant-acacia trees in dry and humid tropical forest, nesting on older leaves away from ant patrols

Turbid fresh water of a large lowland river system

Freshwater Lake Baikal, using winter ice and open water

Tropical moist forest, swamp, montane forest and mangrove margin

Coastlines, large lakes and rivers with tall mature trees for nesting

Seasonally flooded várzea and igapó forest

Dry savanna, open forest and farmland, sheltering in rodent burrows and termite mounds

Open deciduous woodland, riverside trees, orchards and leafy suburbs

Damp coastal coniferous forest floor and leaf litter

Slow-flowing lowland rivers and streams with muddy bottoms and bankside vegetation

Savanna, open woodland and grassland, often near termite mounds used as dens

Open dry deciduous forest, forest clearings and adjacent grassland

Exclusively on Muricella gorgonian sea fans on reef slopes, typically fifteen to forty metres

Open grassland, farmland, marsh edge and rough field margins, roosting in cavities and buildings

Open farmland, grassland and wetland near buildings for nesting

Mesopelagic waters, commonly observed between about 400 and 800 metres

Arctic tundra for breeding, intertidal mudflats and estuaries outside the breeding season

Cold, current-swept seabeds of the North Atlantic and Arctic

Temperate continental shelf waters and shelf edges, from the surface to several hundred metres

Short-grass plains, arid savannah and scrub with bare ground

Rocky Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic seabeds in shallow to moderate depths

Sandy bays, kelp beds, estuaries and sloughs of the eastern Pacific

Shallow eelgrass beds and sandy bottoms of estuaries and bays

Freshwater, damp moss, lichen and soil worldwide

Sandy beaches, burrowing above the tide line by day and foraging on wrack at night

Rocky intertidal shores and tide pools

Shallow turbid coastal waters, estuaries and river mouths over soft bottoms

Dry caatinga and cerrado woodland, savannah and gallery forest

Shallow Arctic shelf waters with moving pack ice over soft seabeds

High mountains with cliffs, above and around the treeline

Human dwellings, hotels and transport, hiding in seams, frames and crevices near sleeping places

Small intestine of humans as the definitive host; muscle tissue of cattle as the intermediate host

Forest edges, swamp woodland and gardens across Cuba

Rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastlines with clear water and earth banks for nesting

Brackish inland seas and the large rivers that feed them

Arctic and subarctic coastal waters, estuaries and ice edges

Almost every North American habitat below the treeline; roosts in buildings, barns, bat houses, tree cavities and rock crevices

Damp meadows, lawns, woodland edges and stream margins

Open ocean, with daytime depths often below 300 metres and nights near the surface

Shallow coastal reefs, seagrass and mangrove waters of the Indo-Pacific

Steep rocky slopes, canyon country and alpine escape terrain

Soft bottoms of the continental shelf, from the intertidal to about 800 metres

Tall evergreen and mixed forest canopy in Southeast Asia

Savannah, arid scrub, coastal desert and open woodland

Southern Ocean and adjacent shelf waters, breeding on subantarctic and Patagonian islands

Slow rivers, oxbow lakes and seasonally flooded forest

Deciduous and mixed forest, willow thickets, parks and gardens

Deep and shaded rocky slopes, seamounts and caves in all oceans

Mesopelagic and bathypelagic waters of the southern oceans, to about 2,000 metres

Adults near fast-flowing streams and rivers; larvae attached to rocks and vegetation in the current

Shallow open freshwater, floodplains, rice fields and lake margins

Open country near water, farmland, savanna, rubbish tips and city outskirts

Open ocean outside the breeding season; sheer cliffs and, increasingly, buildings when nesting

Deciduous and mixed woodland with leaf litter, woodland edges and shrubby transitional habitat

Savanna, open woodland, rocky hills and riverine scrub of sub-Saharan Africa

Boreal spruce and fir forest in the breeding season

Semi-arid savanna, thornbush, dry woodland and succulent scrub

Bathypelagic waters, roughly 700 to 2,700 metres

Large shallow wetlands, lakes, estuaries and flooded plains

Desert scrub, arid grassland, sagebrush and farmland of western North America

Short-grass and mixed-grass prairie of the North American Great Plains

Open highveld grassland, karoo scrub and grassy plains

Mature coniferous and beech forest across Europe and northern Asia

Shallow marsh, vernal pool, wet meadow and slow shoreline with soft bottoms and dense vegetation

Open surface and near-surface waters of tropical and subtropical oceans

Deep continental slope waters, roughly 600 to 1,200 metres

Estuaries, seagrass beds and muddy bottoms from fresh to fully marine salinity

Open-ocean surface waters, floating upside down at the air-water interface

Coral reefs and adjacent hard bottom in shallow Caribbean water

Deciduous and mixed woodland, especially oak, plus parks and suburbs

Lowland tropical rainforest, chiefly the understorey and forest edge

Rocky intertidal shores, pilings and estuarine hard substrate

Shallow tide pools, rubble and seagrass beds in temperate and tropical Indo-Pacific waters

Open ocean, mainly in the upper few hundred metres of temperate and tropical seas

Coral reefs, reef flats and sandy patches of the tropical Indo-West Pacific

Coral reefs, occupying fixed cleaning stations on prominent coral heads

Open ocean, from polar feeding grounds to warmer breeding waters

Short-grass plains, open savanna and acacia woodland

Tropical forest, dry woodland, savanna and agricultural edge, from sea level to montane slopes

Soft sand and rubble seabeds in warm shallow seas, buried with only the head exposed

Forest, chaparral, desert, swamp and suburban edge

Tall-grass meadows, hayfields and prairie in the breeding season

Breeds on inland plains; aestivates in high alpine caves and rock crevices

Shrubs and low tree branches in woodland and scrub, hunting from a horizontal line at night

Open sunlit surfaces: fences, walls, tree trunks, grassland and field edges

Cotton fields and wild malvaceous host plants in warm climates

Leaf litter, riverbanks and soil under stones in temperate and tropical regions

Sunken vertebrate bones on the deep-sea floor

Shallow bays, estuaries and seagrass meadows in warm coastal water

Lowland tropical rainforest and swamp forest

Houses, barns, beehives, bird nests and stored materials; also under bark outdoors

Savanna woodland, karoo scrub, thicket and lowland forest of sub-Saharan Africa

Sheltered shores and shallow subtidal sediments of the north-east Atlantic

Working farmland and pasture; now also suburban homes

Lowland dipterocarp forest, peat swamp forest and riparian forest

Warm, weedy, low-oxygen backwaters, swamps and slow river margins

Arctic and subarctic seas, closely associated with sea ice

Sandy and muddy bottoms near coral reefs, generally shallower than 90 metres

Leaf litter, soil, plant pots, gardens and agricultural soil

Low vegetated coral cay

Forest and wetland edge in summer; caves, cellars and mines with high humidity for hibernation

Humid lowland forest, forest edge and open woodland near water

Forest floor and understorey vegetation, and often buildings and banana plantations

Hypersaline lakes, salt pans and coastal salterns with salinity far above seawater

Seabeds from the intertidal zone to the deep sea worldwide

Coral reefs and adjacent seagrass beds in shallow tropical Indo-Pacific waters

Marshes, swamps, mangrove fringes and slow rivers

Wet and dry sclerophyll forest with abundant fallen timber and tree hollows

Grassland, forest edge, farmland and suburbs

Warm coastal waters, estuaries and offshore islands of the Americas

Cool freshwater springs, streams and ponds, under stones and leaf litter

Human settlements, sewers, farmland, riverbanks and ports worldwide

Dry undisturbed spaces indoors and out: cardboard, cellars, sheds and rock piles

Dense thickets, hedgerows, shrubby field edges and forest margins

Lowland and montane tropical forest canopy

Dry forest, thorn scrub, forest edge and vegetated riverbanks

Arid and semi-arid scrub, grassland and open woodland

Grassland, gardens, hedgerows and farmland, nesting in abandoned rodent burrows underground

Lowland humid rainforest, nesting at the base of trees and foraging in the canopy

Shallow coastal seas, estuaries, river mouths and freshwater rivers and lakes

Grassland, marsh, swamp, rocky foothills and river valleys

Open dry grassland, prairie, desert scrub, airfields and vacant lots

Lowland rainforest, gallery forest, wet savannah and seasonally flooded grassland

Undisturbed lowland tropical rainforest of South America

Open-ocean surface waters

Rotting plant material and compost, feeding on bacteria

Lowland and upland tropical rainforest and adjacent gardens

Open water of the cold North Atlantic, overwintering at depth and feeding near the surface in spring

Rocky uplands, canyon country and coastal ranges with cliff or cavity roosts

Desert, chaparral, grassland, woodland, farmland and suburban gardens

Sonoran and Mojave desert scrub, roosting year-round in mines and caves that stay warm

Chaparral, oak woodland, scrub, farmland edges and suburban gardens

Rocky and soft seabeds of the north-east Pacific, from the low intertidal to about 250 metres

Shallow rocky subtidal and intertidal zones with abundant red algae

Coastal waters, islands, jetties and docks of the northeastern Pacific

Deserts and dry scrubland, sheltering in burrows and under debris by day

Grassland beside water, marshes, farm fields, parks and golf courses

Boreal forest and montane conifer forest with deep winter snow

Turbid Amazonian rivers, generally within or near the substrate

Open and disturbed habitats, grassland, gardens and forest edge

Cold pelagic waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic, spawning on beaches and shallow gravel bottoms

Wetlands, marshes, flooded grasslands and river margins of tropical South America

Dry savannah, scrub, semi-desert, rocky hills and open woodland

Shallow reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove edges in the tropical western Atlantic

Coral reefs, seagrass beds and rocky crevices in shallow tropical water

Bottomland hardwood forest, river swamps and cypress groves

The fur of domestic and wild mammals, with larvae developing in carpet, bedding and nest debris

Pasture, farmland, grassland and dry field margins, often away from water

Temperate and montane Europe, hibernating in limestone caves

Cold open steppe, tundra and woodland margins

Limestone cave entrances, twilight zones and adjacent wet rock faces

Open woodland, orchards, riverside trees and suburbs with fruiting shrubs

Cellars, ceilings, garages and other undisturbed indoor spaces in heated buildings

Forest rivers, lagoons and swamp forest

Lowland tropical forest, secondary growth and forest edge

Deep outer reef slopes of the tropical Indo-Pacific, typically between 100 and 500 metres

Alpine meadow, rocky slope and montane forest

Rivers, reservoirs and lakes with moderate current and soft bottoms

Canopy of lowland rainforest in Borneo

Open grassland, savannah, scrub and semi-desert

Tall grass, scrub, berry patches and woodland edges in warm humid conditions

Open ocean around seamounts and oceanic islands in tropical and warm-temperate waters

Arid scrub, desert margins and dry grassland, in burrows and under stones

Airspace over towns and woodland; roosts and nests in chimneys, air shafts and hollow trees

Tropical moist forest, forest-savannah mosaic and woodland

Freshwater ponds, marshes and slow streams in temperate lowlands

Cool mountain streams and rocky pools

Meadows, hedgerows, gardens and field margins with tall vegetation

Subtropical forest, bamboo stands, grassland and agricultural mosaics

North Pacific and its large river systems, from coastal streams to headwaters more than a thousand kilometres inland

Rainforest floor and burrows on a tropical island, with an annual migration to the coast

Embedded in living stony coral heads on shallow tropical reefs

North Pacific and Arctic coastal seas, spawning in rivers from short coastal streams to the far upper Yukon

Woodland, scrub, orchards and gardens with woody plants for the nymphs to feed on underground

Tropical and subtropical evergreen forest, including montane and secondary forest

Shallow lagoon and reef-slope waters, always associated with host sea anemones

Clear outer reef slopes and drop-offs, usually below ten metres

Coastal woodland, sugarcane fields, monsoon forest and grassland of northern and eastern Australia

Coastal forest, rock crevices and burrows on tropical islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans

Shallow sandy and silty bottoms of tropical Indo-Pacific bays and lagoons

Small coastal streams, side channels and wetlands for rearing; North Pacific coastal waters as adults

Desert scrub, thorn forest, tropical forest and suburban margin

Wet and dry tropical forest, from mangrove to montane woodland

Cultivated potato fields and other solanaceous crops and weeds

Deep Southern Ocean waters, mostly below 1,000 metres

Coastal and estuarine surface waters

Rocky outcrops, savanna and village walls and compounds

Still and slow fresh water including ponds, ditches, canals and garden water features

Streamside forest and riverbanks in lowland tropics

Caves and mine tunnels used year-round, with foraging over woodland, scrub and open water

Lowland rainforest, secondary forest, plantations and forest edge

Woodland, hedgerow, farmland, parks and gardens

Coastal bays, estuaries and open ocean in warm and temperate seas

Forest, woodland, farmland and urban areas with hollow trees or equivalent cavities

Warm, slow or still fresh water with soft bottoms and abundant vegetation

Sandy and muddy coastal bottoms from the shoreline to about 200 metres

Forest, heath, woodland and grassland with deep leaf litter across eastern and southern Australia

Sandy and muddy bottoms and open water over the shelf, from the shallows to about 300 metres

Deep permanent burrows in moist soils of grassland, woodland and gardens

Gardens, hedgerows, crop margins and leaf litter, sheltering in crevices by day

Savanna, dry woodland, rocky outcrops and scrub, often near nesting birds

Cold coastal waters, rocky shores and offshore islands

Open savanna, grassland, montane grassland and semi-desert scrub

Deep open ocean, recorded from about 500 to 5,000 metres

Tropical rainforest and plantation, on tree trunks

Fermenting fruit and plant material, and laboratories worldwide

Meadows, marshes, forest edge, ditches, gardens and stream banks

Carrion, wounds, refuse and dung in open and settled country

Ponds, marshes and slow water for breeding, open country and shorelines while migrating

Ponds, marshes and slow streams across North America, with adults ranging widely over open country

Cold North Atlantic and North Pacific waters, breeding on bare cliff ledges

Sandy and muddy bottoms in shallow coastal waters, usually less than 100 metres deep

Buildings, walls and disturbed habitats in warm climates

Standing water in gutters, drains, containers, ditches and flooded basements

Farmland, grassland, heath, roadside verges and open ground generally

Clear slow-flowing rivers, canals and lakes with overhanging perches and earth banks

Fields, village outskirts, termite mounds, brick piles and rodent burrows across the Indian subcontinent

Lowland rainforest, forest edge, plantations and riverbanks of northern South America

Exposed and sheltered rocky shores in the intertidal zone

Dry caatinga scrub, gallery forest and forest edge

Stony slopes, quarries, woodland edge and gardens near small water bodies

Lakes, rivers and streams with rocky or debris-strewn bottoms

Dense scrub, coppiced woodland and thickets with thick low cover

Rocky and seagrass-bottomed coastal shallows of temperate and tropical seas

Open savanna, arid scrub and semi-desert

Rocky intertidal shores, tide pools and sheltered estuarine hard bottom

Farmland, hedgerow, woodland edge, reedbed and scrub

Woodland edge, hedgerow, parkland and gardens; roosts in crevices in buildings and behind cladding

Arid and semi-arid shrubland, rocky slopes and open woodland of western North America

Mountains, coasts, forest, tundra, desert and open country

Eucalypt forest, coastal scrub, rainforest edges and suburban gardens

Damp terrestrial habitats: leaf litter, under logs and stones, compost heaps, walls and gardens

Seagrass beds, mangrove roots, estuaries and shallow reef margins

Grassland, hedgerow, woodland and scrub with dense ground cover

Slow rivers, ponds, marshes and lakes with soft bottoms and abundant cover

Tropical rainforest, mangrove and secondary forest canopy

Lowland rainforest, riverine forest and forest edge

Rocky shores and shallow seabeds of the north-east Atlantic

Open and semi-open country, farmland, grassland and urban areas

Open airspace over towns, farmland and open country; nests in building cavities and cliffs

Forest, scrub, grassland and cultivated land across Madagascar

Coastal beaches, islands, lakes and rivers; winters along tropical and southern coasts

Coastal and open ocean waters of temperate and subtropical seas, mainly near the surface

Woodland, hedgerow, grassland and gardens, breeding in deeper ponds

Lowland tropical forest, secondary growth, plantations and gardens

Caves, hollow trees and abandoned buildings in tropical and subtropical lowlands, usually near livestock or large wild mammals

Dry stone walls, rocky slopes, railway embankments and ruins

Open savanna, grassland and lightly wooded country with burrows available

Sandy, muddy and gravelly seabeds from the low intertidal to about 1,200 metres

Temperate forest, woodland and heath with soils suitable for burrowing

Woodland, grassland, gardens and urban areas, nesting underground or in cavities in walls and lofts

Marshes, wet thickets, damp brushy fields and ditch edges

Seasonally flooded grassland plains of the Australian tropics

Swamp forest, small streams and seasonally flooded rainforest

Reef flats, lagoons and rocky shallows, often in very shallow surge zones

Open ocean, migrating nightly between depths of about a kilometre and near the surface

Turbid inshore reefs, estuaries and rocky shores in shallow water

Lowland Amazonian forest, often near water

Coral-rich reef slopes and lagoons, generally between five and fifty metres

Pine woodland, old fields, farmland, rocky hillsides and abandoned buildings

Swamps, cypress sloughs, river margins, marshes and drainage ditches of the southeastern United States

Desert and arid grassland, burrowed underground for most of the year

Shallow coastal bays, estuaries and nearshore waters over soft bottoms

Grassland, desert, forest, farmland and urban areas

Inside the bodies of shore crabs in shallow coastal waters

Antarctic pack ice

Damp grassland, marsh margins, leaf litter and stream banks

Humid closed-canopy forest, in shrubs and low trees

Shallow coral reefs of the tropical Indo-Pacific

Freshwater swamp and marsh

Trees, shrubs, buildings and garden structures near water in warm humid regions

Coral reefs and reef flats of the tropical Indo-Pacific

Sea floor and open water from shallow reefs to hadal trenches

Deep offshore waters, especially near submarine canyons and steep slopes

Fast, clear forest streams, flooded forest and river margins

Fresh water: ponds, ditches, lakes, wells and temporary pools

Cool deep coastal and offshore waters

Coniferous and mixed forest when breeding, open ground and feeders in winter

River margins and lake edges in humid forest, with webs suspended over open water

Temperate southern beech forest floor and forest streams

Leaf litter and low vegetation in lowland rainforest of Southeast Asia

Arid and semi-arid desert and scrubland, sheltering under stones and in burrows

Old hardwood timber, especially oak affected by fungal decay, in buildings and dead trees

Deep continental slope and canyon walls of the North Pacific, roughly 500 to 2,800 metres

Arid and semi-arid land across North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia

Gardens, woodland, hedgerows and grassland, under stones and litter by day

Tropical dry and moist deciduous forest, evergreen forest, alpine steppe and scrub

Oak and other woodland, under bark and in fungus-infested wood

Brackish salt marsh, tidal creeks, estuaries and mangrove

Open plains, grassland and woodland of the Americas

Still and slow-moving fresh water with dense submerged vegetation

Marine waters worldwide, from polar ice to temperate coasts

Lowland dry and coastal forest of Mauritius

Homes, farms, urban margins and feral colonies worldwide

Pasture, rangeland and managed feeding systems

Farmyards, commercial houses and village margins; ancestrally tropical forest edge

Human settlements worldwide, from Arctic villages to tropical cities

Ponds, paddy fields, farmyards and commercial housing

Scrub, hill country, arid rangeland and smallholdings

Farmyards, pasture and pond margins

Hutches and homes; ancestrally Andean grassland and rocky slopes

Farms and, where feral, woodland, wetland and agricultural margins

Hutches, homes and laboratories; the wild ancestor lives in grassland and scrub burrows

Upland pasture, grassland and rangeland

Entirely domesticated; reared indoors on mulberry leaves

Rearing houses and trays; entirely dependent on human care

Farms and commercial houses; the wild ancestor occupies woodland and forest edge

Paddy fields, marshland, river margins and wet pasture

Arid and semi-arid farmland, hill country and villages

Desert and semi-desert

Shallow tropical and subtropical coastal seagrass meadows

Deep sea floor and near-bottom water, typically between 1,000 and 5,000 metres

Sandy and muddy bottoms and eelgrass beds from the intertidal zone to about 200 metres

Shallow reef flats and lagoon margins with branching coral and rubble

Native grassland, grassy woodland and adjoining pasture with dense ground cover

Open country with scattered trees, pasture edges, orchards and roadsides

Open woodland, grassland, heath and suburban gardens

Deciduous and mixed woodland, forest edge, damp meadows and floodplain

Woodland edges, gardens and human structures with exposed unpainted softwood

Deciduous woodland, forest edge, rocky slopes and suburban gardens

Deciduous forest, rocky hillsides, woodland edge and suburban margins of the eastern United States

Sandy pine and scrub woodland, hammocks and leaf litter of the southeastern United States

Longleaf pine savanna, sandhills, palmetto flatwoods and coastal scrub of the southeastern United States

Shallow salt marsh pools, tidal creeks and marsh flats

Coastal plain grassland, pine flatwoods, dune scrub and old fields

Montane and bamboo forest, and lowland rainforest in the east of the Congo basin

Coastal forest, thicket, bamboo and wooded gardens of eastern Africa

Deciduous and mixed woodland, parks and suburban gardens

Sandy soils, open woodland, old fields and coastal dunes

Longleaf pine sandhill, scrub, flatwoods and adjacent wetlands, using gopher tortoise burrows

Native grassland, hayfields, pasture and old fields

Ponds, lakes and slow streams, with adjacent moist woodland

Estuarine intertidal and shallow subtidal hard bottom, forming reefs

Deciduous forest, farmland, hedgerows, rocky slopes and barns

Moist deciduous forest floor, under logs, rocks and leaf litter

Brushy grassland, woodland edge, rocky outcrops and farm buildings

Soil and dead wood in temperate forest and built environments, with foraging galleries below ground

Deciduous woodland, woodland edges, riverbanks, parks and suburban gardens

Lowland rainforest, savannah woodland and plantations

Coastal caves and purpose-built nesting houses across Southeast Asia

Caves and tunnels near fruiting trees, from Mediterranean woodland to African savannah and tropical forest

Turbid, slow-moving fresh water, swamps and floodplain creeks in northern South America

Pine-oak and sycamore canyon woodland, and tropical dry forest

Forest and scrub of Madagascar

Continental shelf to about 200 metres, entering shallow estuaries and bays to spawn

Desert scrub with saguaro cactus, riparian woodland and oak canyons

Open woodland, forest edge, montane meadow and prairie margin

High-energy shallow reef crests of the tropical western Atlantic

Ash trees in forest, hedgerow and urban plantings

Lowland rainforest canopy and mid-storey, usually near water

Coral-rich reef slopes and lagoons with caves and ledges, to about 100 metres

Well-vegetated ponds, lakes, canals and gravel pits in Europe, North Africa and western Asia

Antarctic fast ice and surrounding Southern Ocean

Humid tropical rainforest and moist savanna of West Africa, in burrows and under leaf litter

Lowland Amazonian rainforest and seasonally flooded forest

Open woodland, savanna and shrubland across the Australian interior

Shallow coral reef flats and tide pools, often less than a metre deep

Afroalpine grassland and heathland above roughly 3,000 metres

Warm scrub, grassland, garden and rocky ground with dense cover

Deciduous woodland, especially oak, plus gardens, parks and hedges

Lakes, reservoirs, slow rivers, gravel pits and large ponds with vegetated margins

Upland moor and damp grassland when breeding; estuaries and mudflats in winter

Rocky country, cliffs, quarries, forest edge and river gorges

Open ground with short vegetation and old trees or walls providing cavities

Temperate and boreal forest, montane woodland and rocky scrub

Open woodland, farmland with hedges, parks, suburbs and cities

Mature deciduous and mixed woodland, parkland and wooded gardens

Estuaries, mudflats, rocky shores and, increasingly, inland fields

Reedbeds, chiefly stands of common reed over water

Open grassland, arable farmland, heath, dune and moorland

Woodland, farmland with hedgerows, parks and gardens

Shallow freshwater and brackish wetlands, reedbeds, deltas and tidal flats

Banks of slow rivers, streams, ditches and reedbeds with soft earth for burrowing

Woodland understorey, hedges, gardens, sea cliffs and rocky islands

Open woodland, orchards, heath and parkland with bare ground for ant foraging

Heathland, moorland, woodland edge, bog margins and coastal dunes across northern Eurasia

Coastal and shelf waters of the eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea, often entering estuaries and lagoons

Deciduous woodland, hedgerow, pasture and suburban gardens

Open warm country with sandy banks, river cliffs and scattered perches

Mixed lowland forest with clearings, meadow and river valley

Fresh water, estuaries and coastal seas as an adult; open Atlantic as a larva and spawner

Gardens, hedgerows, woodland edges and buildings, wherever anchor points allow a vertical web

Sheltered shores, estuaries, mudflats and seagrass beds across a wide range of salinity and temperature

Woodland edge, hedgerow, farmland, parks and suburban gardens

Mature woodland and wooded farmland, nesting in hollow trees, wall cavities and outbuildings

Mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture and carpets in heated human dwellings

Warm dry grassland, scrub and disturbed open ground with tall herbaceous cover

Shallow, weedy freshwater ponds and marshes with soft margins

Damp soil of meadows, riverbanks and cultivated ground, spending most of its life underground

Heathland, young conifer plantation, forest clearings and open woodland

Warm open habitats, gardens and buildings, with nests attached to sheltered surfaces by a single stalk

Woodland edges, gardens, meadows and hedgerows across temperate Europe

Coastal pelagic waters of the northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea, often over the continental shelf

Mature coniferous and mixed woodland with cavities and dense canopy

Sandy and muddy bottoms of shallow northeast Atlantic shelf seas, from a few metres to about two hundred metres

Short grassland, scrub, dunes and farmland with diggable soil

Woodland, scrub, hedgerows, parks and gardens across Europe

Woodland edge, scrub, farmland mosaic and open field

Warm open country with old trees, wooded steppe and traditional farmland

Coastal waters, estuaries and lagoons of the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean, tolerant of a wide salinity range

Continental shelf waters from the surface to a few hundred metres

Broadleaf woodland, parkland and old gardens with decaying hardwood, especially oak

Deciduous woodland with decaying logs and stumps

Humid lowland and montane rainforest, often in low vegetation and palm foliage, in Central and northern South America

Open deciduous woodland, parkland and farmland mosaic

Peat swamp forest, blackwater rivers and freshwater lakes

Deep tropical and warm temperate offshore waters

Sheltered harbours, marinas and soft-bottom coastal waters

Reefs, rocky slopes and deep seabeds worldwide

Sand desert and semi-desert with stable dunes

Homes and working burrows; no self-sustaining wild population except in New Zealand

Intertidal mudflats, mangroves, salt marshes and sandy lagoons

Short dry grassland and heath with bare ground for burrowing, in warm sunny sites

Inside the enclosed inflorescences of fig trees, in tropical and subtropical forest and cultivated groves

Deep offshore and shelf-edge waters in temperate and polar seas

Coniferous forest, breeding in trees killed by recent fire

Shallow tropical reefs, often encrusting other corals and gorgonians

Deep water of the western Pacific by day, rising towards the surface at night

Damp deciduous woodland near cool streams and springs

Dense conifer and mixed forest with closed canopy and abundant coarse woody debris

Shallow sand and mud bottoms of tropical Indo-Pacific coasts

Sand, gravel and mud on the continental shelf, from shallow sea lochs to several hundred metres

Shallow, turbid waters of the Australian continental shelf, nesting on northern Australian beaches

Narrow horizontal cracks in rock outcrops and boulder fields in dry southern African savanna

Rocky volcanic coastline and cold nearshore waters

Sand, seagrass and rubble bottoms of the tropical Indo-Pacific

Open woodland, savanna and scrub

Dense tropical rainforest and dry deciduous forest

Still and slow-moving fresh water, attached to submerged wood and stems

Clean, fast-flowing, low-nutrient rivers with stable gravel beds

Tropical and warm-temperate savanna woodland, mostly in trees

Deep water over outer continental shelves and slopes, typically 50 to 1,500 metres

Lowland tropical forest near streams and ponds; roosts in hollow trees, caves and culverts

African savanna and dry woodland, in large soil mounds above subterranean nests

Leaf litter of rainforest and adjacent woodland in central and western Africa

Volcanic islands, from arid lowland cactus scrub to humid highland grassland

Rocky volcanic coastline and lava crevices beside cool upwelling waters

Turbid lowland rivers, channels and confluences

Gardens, hedgerows, dunes and cultivated land in temperate climates

Damp meadows, gardens, hedgerows, dunes and open woodland

Rocky reefs and kelp forest margins from the intertidal to about thirty metres

Rocky rainforest streams and adjacent soaks in subtropical Queensland

Evergreen and deciduous forest with grassy clearings, from lowlands to about two thousand eight hundred metres

High-altitude montane grassland and cliff escarpments above about 1,800 metres

Arid and semi-arid grassland, dune fields and stony desert

Subantarctic island coasts and the Antarctic Peninsula

Tropical evergreen and semi-deciduous forest, mainly in the upper canopy

Shallow tropical reef flats, sand and rubble near coral

Arid thornbush, dry scrub and semi-desert

Heated buildings, particularly kitchens and food-handling areas; not established outdoors in temperate regions

Deep, fast-flowing rivers with exposed sandbanks

Warm, humid lowland forest, agricultural land and gardens

Tropical forest floor and moist savanna leaf litter, often in termite mounds and rotting wood

Grassland, savanna, wetland margins and open woodland

Rocky reefs and seagrass beds in temperate southern Australian coastal waters

Caribbean coral reefs, mostly between ten and one hundred metres depth

Shallow, clear tropical reef flats within reach of strong sunlight

Sonoran and Mojave desert flats and washes, in deep self-dug burrows

Large lowland rivers and estuaries with sand and mud bottoms

Continental slope and deep sea floor, roughly 140 to 3,500 metres

Open woodland, savanna and grassland of South America

Arid montane scrub, valleys and gardens along the Andes

Deep-sea floor, mainly between about 300 and 2,000 metres on soft sediment

Reef crevices, caves and lagoons from shallow water to about fifty metres

Mesopelagic open ocean, mostly between about 200 and 1,000 metres

Open ocean, oceanic islands and coastal upwelling zones in tropical and warm-temperate seas

Slow-moving rivers, oxbow lakes and flooded forest of tropical South America

Cold coastal waters of the North Pacific, from the intertidal zone to depths of several hundred metres

Temperate montane bamboo forest between roughly 1,200 and 3,400 metres

Deep midwater of the open ocean

Deep open ocean, generally between about 300 and 1,000 metres

Hydrothermal vent fields on the deep-sea floor of the East Pacific Rise

Forest and scrub on predator-free offshore islands, sheltering in vegetation by day

Arid and semi-arid scrub, under rocks and logs, in shallow burrows

Desert scrub, thornscrub and rocky canyon slopes

Savanna, open woodland and acacia scrub

Forest and forest edge, on the leaves of small host trees

Vegetation along fast-flowing streams in humid montane and lowland forest

Cold deep water worldwide, plus shallow reefs on the British Columbia coast

Open mid-water of the world's oceans, mostly between 200 and 1,000 metres

Humid tropical forest understorey, from Mexico to Panama and beyond

Trees, vines and shrubs in warm regions, including orchards, vineyards and urban plantings

Temporary freshwater pools, rain-filled depressions and paddy margins across the tropics and subtropics

Open grassland, savanna and woodland margins of South America

Deep water along continental slopes and submarine canyons, mostly between 200 and 1,300 metres

Open and semi-open country: mountains, moorland, tundra, steppe and canyon land

Dry open country, scrub, farmland, reedbed and wetland margin

Marine lakes and sheltered coastal lagoons of the western Pacific

Lowland Atlantic coastal rainforest

Humid lowland rainforest floor on the Pacific slope

Flower heads in meadows, gardens and roadsides, particularly goldenrod and white daisies

Coastal lowland forest and dense thicket with deep leaf litter

Forest edges, clearings and wetland margins, spanning gaps with large semi-permanent webs

Temperate montane and subalpine forest, often snow-covered in winter

Elfin cloud forest at around 1,500 metres elevation

Slow, weedy fresh water; kept in ponds and aquaria worldwide

Tropical forest, where adults feed at sap flows and ripe fruit

Lowland tropical rainforest, in silk-lined burrows under roots and rocks

Fast-flowing rocky rainforest rivers and rapids

Montane and lowland tropical rainforest

Attached to floating driftwood, hulls, buoys and other drifting objects in the open ocean

Well-drained sandy uplands, longleaf pine savanna, sandhills and coastal scrub

Loose desert sand dunes and sandy plains

Ponds, ditches, wet meadows, hedgerows, gardens and compost heaps

Shallow coastal shelf waters and sheltered lagoons

Cold North Atlantic waters, breeding on remote rocky islands

Continental shelf reefs of the Coral Sea off northeastern Australia

Marshes, lake and river margins, estuaries, coastal shallows and flooded fields

Rainforest, gallery forest and forest edge, from lowlands to montane forest

Coastal waters, estuaries, lakes and large rivers

Medium to large fishless ponds with surrounding rough grassland and scrub

Still and slow fresh water: ponds, ditches, lake margins and weedy pools

Marshes, ponds, rice fields, tidal flats and shallow lake margins

Open surface waters of tropical and subtropical seas

Arid and semi-arid spinifex grassland, mulga shrubland and desert dunes

Lowland and hill rainforest

Coastal lagoons, mangroves, rivers and lakes in tropical lowlands; roosts in hollow trees and sea caves

Saline and alkaline lagoons, salt pans, estuaries and shallow coastal lakes

Savannah, open woodland and forest edge across sub-Saharan Africa

Pasture and broadleaf woodland with old buildings, caves and mines for roosting; sensitive to landscape connectivity

Mixed woodland, thicket, rocky hillsides and riverine bush

Montane rainforest

Lowland rainforest, swamp forest, mangrove and riverbanks

Open woodland and grazed meadow for foraging; large attics, church roofs and caves for roosting

Tallgrass and mixed-grass prairie with a mix of grazing intensities

Grassland, pampas, open woodland and agricultural land

Desert scrub, chaparral, grassland and open woodland

Buttressed tree trunks, building walls and hollow trunks in lowland tropical forest, roosting on lit vertical surfaces

Sagebrush steppe and shrubland

Weedy ponds, ditches, swamps and slow coastal-plain waters

Tall grassland, scrub, hedgerow and woodland edge in warm lowland areas

Boreal and montane coniferous forest bordering meadows and bogs

Tropical coastal waters, coral reefs, lagoons and continental shelves

Evergreen and moist deciduous forest with large mature trees

Almost any wooded or partly wooded habitat, from boreal forest to desert and suburb

Lowland and foothill forest, forest edge and plantations of Central and South America

North Atlantic open ocean, breeding on moorland and coastal grassland

Lowland tropical rainforest floor

Deciduous and mixed woodland, gardens, parks and hedgerows

Shallow lakes, deltas, lagoons and marshes

Coastal and offshore temperate seas, from surf zones to the open ocean

Slow-moving rivers, swamps, flooded grassland and seasonal wetlands

Shrubs, trees, fences and walls in humid subtropical country

Outer reef slopes and lagoons, sheltering in caves and wrecks at night

Lowland tropical forest, especially trees overhanging water

Cold Arctic and North Atlantic water, from the surface under ice to more than two kilometres deep

Shallow coastal seagrass meadows, algal reefs and lagoons, with an early open-ocean phase

Rock crevices and sediment pockets in shallow Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic waters

Heathland, dunes, sandy paths and other open bare ground

Rainforest canopy and mid-storey, forest edge and regrowth

Semi-arid grassland and acacia scrub in the Horn of Africa

Dense shrubs, hedgerows, thickets and overgrown garden edges

Wet grassland, marsh edges, floodplains and adjacent farmland

Rainforest, eucalypt forest, woodland and urban parkland along the Australian east coast; camps in dense riparian vegetation

Rivers, lakes, marshes, estuaries, garden ponds and coastal shallows

Kennels, homes and racing tracks; historically open country

Dry deciduous forest, spiny forest and secondary growth

Coral reef drop-offs, channels and lagoons in clear tropical water

North Atlantic coasts, rocky islands, sandbanks and offshore waters

Forest, tundra, taiga, grassland, mountain and desert

Mountains, gorges and open plains with cliff nesting sites

Montane forest, alpine meadow, tundra and river valleys of western North America

Reef slopes and hard-bottom habitats of the tropical western Atlantic

Woodland edges, old fields, hedgerows and roadside verges

Savanna woodland, grassland and semi-arid scrub with termite and ant colonies, often near sandy or loamy soils suitable for burrowing

Arid grassland, shrub steppe, Patagonian plain and high Andean slope

Domestic; the wild ancestor occupies Andean grassland and rocky slopes

Subcutaneous tissue of mammalian hosts; larval stages in stagnant fresh water inside copepods

Low intertidal and shallow subtidal rock on cold, exposed coasts

Small warm streams, drainage ditches and pools, often above waterfalls that exclude predators

Arctic tundra, coastal cliffs and mountain country above and beyond the treeline

Forest and shrubland of the South Island of New Zealand

Hadal trench floors, generally deeper than 6,000 metres

Cool North Atlantic continental shelf waters, typically over sand, gravel and broken shell bottoms

Tropical montane and lowland evergreen forest

Fast forest streams and adjacent moist ground in Central African rainforest

Humid tropical forest, roosting in caves, mines and hollow trees

Freshwater swamps, lakes and slow rivers of southern lowlands

Semi-desert, arid savannah and rocky escarpments

Cool coastal shelf waters, bays and estuaries

Temperate and Arctic coastal waters, estuaries, sandbars and rocky haul-outs

Lowland tropical forest, on recently dead and dying fig and mulberry trees

Woodland, orchards, farmland and buildings, where adults overwinter indoors in large numbers

Coral and rubble reef areas, generally between five and thirty-five metres

North Atlantic and Arctic drift ice and open ocean

Deep-sea sediment off the Pacific coast of North America, around 3,000 to 3,500 metres

Lowland tropical rainforest with tall emergent trees

Damp leaf litter, woodland, caves, grassland and garden walls; often gathered in aggregations

Shallow sandy shallows and seagrass flats of the Hawaiian archipelago

Warm tropical waters, coral atolls and sandy beaches of the Hawaiian archipelago

Coral reefs, rocky outcrops and shallow lagoons in tropical seas

Deciduous woodland with a diverse shrub layer, coppice and species-rich hedgerows

Human scalp hair

Coastal scrub oak barrens and sandy heathland

Cool, fast-flowing, well-oxygenated rocky streams

Savanna, grassland, farmland and open woodland

Moorland, heath, marsh, young forestry plantation and rough grassland

Lowland and montane rainforest, where larvae develop in rotting logs

Tropical rainforest and adjacent regrowth

Mediterranean scrub, oak woodland, dry meadow and abandoned farmland

Rocky shores, tide pools, sandy seabeds and, for some species, coastal land

Rivers, lakes and swamps with adjacent grassland for night-time grazing

Forest, scrub and karst limestone country with crevices for shelter

Roosts alone in foliage of trees rather than in caves; forages over forest openings, water and open country

Riparian and swamp forest, flooded thickets and river margins

Ground-level cracks, wall voids and window wells, where it builds a funnel-shaped sheet web

Tropical lowland and montane forest canopy

Lofts and urban environments; ancestrally sea cliffs and rocky ledges

Lowland rainforest understorey with Heliconia plants, in Central America below about 700 metres

Savanna, arid scrub, grassland and dry forest across a very wide climatic range

Sandplain heath and shrubland rich in banksias and other flowering plants

Arid and semi-arid scrub and desert, nesting deep in soil

Farmland, coast, moorland, woodland edge and urban areas

Deep North Atlantic and Arctic waters with drifting pack ice

Leaf litter, caves and moist soil in tropical forest, always in darkness and high humidity

Grassland and pasture; stabled and managed environments worldwide

Damp meadows, woodland edges and wetland margins, near the larval breeding mud

Freshwater streams, ponds and puddles as free-living adults; inside arthropod hosts as larvae

Damp basements, bathrooms and crawl spaces indoors; under stones and logs outdoors

Human settlements, farms, refuse and animal dung wherever the climate is warm enough

Buildings, granaries, fields and almost any human-modified habitat

Human settlements, farmyards, towns and cities

Woodland edge, shrubby gardens, hedges and farmyards

Humid lowland forest and pasture in the Neotropics

Hair follicles and sebaceous glands of human skin, concentrated on the face

Small intestine of humans, with an egg stage that matures in warm moist soil

Open water of the eastern Pacific, moving between the surface at night and several hundred metres by day

Gardens, meadows, dry slopes and any flower-rich open ground

Bathypelagic and mesopelagic open ocean, mostly between 500 and 2,000 metres

Coastal and shelf waters for feeding and breeding, open ocean on migration

Steep outer reef slopes, channels and lagoon reefs to about 100 metres

Palm savannah, gallery forest and seasonally flooded grassland

Still and slow-moving fresh water, attached to plants and debris

Mediterranean scrubland and open woodland mosaic with dense cover and open hunting ground

Ponds, cisterns, ditches and slow water in Mediterranean landscapes

Deciduous woodland with standing dead and dying timber

Coastal waters, harbours and shallow shelf seas

Woodland edge, savanna and riverine thicket close to water

Farmland, village margins, grassland, scrub and forest edge across the Indian subcontinent

Large trees in villages, temple groves and along waterways across the Indian subcontinent

Open scrub, cultivated land, grassland and the edges of villages and towns

Open deciduous forest, scrub, farmland and village edges

Grassland, scrub, marsh, riverine forest and rocky foothills

Dry scrub, thorn forest, grassland and semi-desert

Shrubs and low woody vegetation; widely kept in classrooms and laboratories

Surface and near-surface open ocean, usually above the thermocline

Eastern montane and lowland rainforest

Cracking clay floodplains and black-soil plains of arid inland Australia

Deciduous woodland, scrub, farmland edges and suburban plantings

Open grassland, parkland and steppe with abundant mineral-rich forage

Estuaries, coastal brackish water and large tropical rivers

Warm coastal and offshore waters of tropical northern Australia

Shrubs, ivy and broadleaved trees in woodland and hedgerow

Mature bottomland hardwood forest and pine forest of the southeastern United States and Cuba

Lowland rainforest, seasonally flooded wetland, dry forest and scrub

Ponds, rice paddies, ditches and slow streams in hilly country

Open shelf and slope waters of the north-western Pacific, migrating seasonally

Cold, fast mountain rivers and streams

Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest, from warm coast to snowbound mountains

Broadleaf woodland, gathering at sap flows on oaks and other trees

Soft-bottomed continental shelf and slope, typically between 50 and 600 metres depth

Lowland tropical forest and scrub

Predator-free offshore islands; formerly forest and scrub throughout New Zealand

Rivers and slow freshwater channels

Alpine and subalpine scrub, beech forest and high tussock country

Lowland and foothill tropical forest and forest edge

Shallow, muddy and sandy Gulf and Atlantic coastal waters rich in crabs

Semi-desert, dry savanna and loose sandy or friable soils

Lowland and montane forest, bamboo thickets and plantation edges near water in South and Southeast Asia

Subantarctic island beaches and tussock slopes, foraging in surrounding ocean

Canopy of tropical lowland rainforest and secondary forest

Dense dry scrub, thornbush and thicket with good cover

Young jack pine stands on sandy soil, roughly five to twenty years old

Limestone caves in dry evergreen and deciduous forest along river valleys

Primary tropical rainforest on small islands

Eucalypt woodland and open forest of eastern and southeastern Australia

Ornamental ponds and water gardens; feral fish occupy warm still waters

Dry tropical savanna, monsoon forest and coastal scrub on a handful of Indonesian islands

Sandy coastal bays, inlets and estuaries

Rocky shores, sandy shallows and open water of a deep African rift lake

Large lakes and rivers with sand, gravel or mud bottoms

Mesopelagic waters by day, near-surface layers at night

Short, warm, grazed calcareous grassland with wild thyme and red ants

Coastal mangrove, lowland forest and plantation, roosting in large exposed camps in tall trees

Warm, weedy lakes, ponds, reservoirs and slow river backwaters

Shallow intertidal and subtidal rubble along the tropical eastern Pacific coast

Estuaries, river mouths and freshwater rivers and lakes, as well as shallow coastal seas

Evergreen and semi-evergreen tropical forest

Open eucalypt woodland, farmland and suburban gardens of eastern Australia

Lowland tropical forest and adjacent agricultural land, with vast excavated underground nests

Open sunny habitats with legume forage and pre-existing cavities such as hollow stems and beetle borings

Foliage of trees and shrubs in tropical forest and plantation

Open ocean from the tropics to sub-polar seas, nesting on tropical and subtropical sand beaches

Shallow subtropical coasts, mangrove lagoons, seagrass flats and coral reefs

Forest, savannah, scrub, mountain and desert edge, including farmland and city fringes

Rocky arid grassland and desert scrub

Antarctic pack ice and surrounding cold southern ocean waters

Woodland, gardens, cellars and other damp sheltered ground

Semi-arid savanna, thornveld, grassland and scrub

Sandy and gravelly desert, semi-desert and dry steppe

Highly alkaline soda lakes and coastal saltpans

Dry acacia and commiphora thornbush and dense thicket

Desert scrub and thorn forest with columnar cacti and agaves; roosts in caves and abandoned mines

Forest, mangrove, orchards and gardens in Southeast Asia; roosts in modified palm and fig foliage

Shallow, weedy, muddy standing water including ditches and swamps

Savannah, open woodland and scrub, with a small remnant population in dry deciduous forest

Cold open water and coastal seas of the northern hemisphere

Forest and wetland edges in summer; caves and mines with stable cool humid air for winter hibernation

Temperate coastal waters, breeding in burrows and rock crevices on shore

Sandy and gravelly bottoms of the continental shelf, mostly shallower than 100 metres

High Andean grassland and puna, and farmland worldwide

Continental shelves, estuaries and open ocean, nesting on temperate and subtropical beaches

Dense undergrowth, woodland edges and areas with deer, in warm temperate regions

Dry steppe, semi-desert and oasis margins

Deep offshore and shelf-edge waters in cool temperate seas

Coastal heath, wet and dry sclerophyll forest with dense understorey

Arid rocky slopes and crevices in the Andes, roughly 400 to 1,600 metres

Coastal mangrove, riverine forest, secondary forest and human settlements

Cavities and leaf bases of shrubs on subtropical island vegetation, sheltering by day and feeding at night

Tropical forest near permanent water, from lowland rainforest to gallery forest

Lowland rainforest, forest edge and disturbed land in eastern Madagascar

U-shaped burrows in intertidal sand and muddy sand flats

Deciduous hardwood forest, especially where birch, walnut and sweetgum grow

Damp forest floor, streamsides, caves and tropical vegetation

Forest and forest edge across Madagascar wherever its Omphalea host plants grow

Leaf litter and rotting logs on the forest floor of Madagascar

Tropical and subtropical coasts and open ocean, nesting in mangroves and coastal shrubs

Exposed reef slopes and shallow current-swept reef in the Indo-Pacific

Lowland and hill tropical rainforest, swamp forest and secondary growth

Shallow fresh and brackish wetlands, ponds, rivers, city parks and flooded fields

Semi-arid mallee eucalypt scrub and shrubland

Wooded streams, ponds and lakes with overhanging trees

Sheltered lagoons and inshore reefs, on rubble and among branching coral

Dense tropical rainforest and adjacent gallery forest

Tall grassland, cerrado savannah, scrub forest and marsh edge

Riverine, montane and secondary forest

Lowland and montane tropical forest, including secondary and disturbed forest

Savanna, grassland, wetland margins, rubbish dumps and abattoir surroundings