Abstract Citizen science can play an important role in bat research and conservation, providing valuable ecological data while engaging the public in bat research and monitoring efforts. We conducted a scoping review of peer‐reviewed literature to assess: who is studying or using citizen science for bat research and where; what methods are used in citizen science research for bats; and whether research on bat citizen science has demonstrated impact on participant engagement and scientific outcomes. Fifty‐one bat citizen science projects were published between 2014 and 2025. University‐led research constitutes 68% ( n = 26), underscoring the increasing recognition of citizen science within academic research. However, significant geographical gaps persist, with 67% ( n = 35) of studies conducted in Europe, 19% ( n = 10) in North America, and limited representation from Africa, Asia, South America and Oceania. Acoustic surveys dominate bat citizen science, accounting for 63% ( n = 32) of studies. A lack of region‐specific automated acoustic classifiers potentially hinders expansion into biodiversity‐rich regions. Studies also varied in their evaluation of participant engagement and conservation outcomes, highlighting a need for more consistent reporting and stronger links between research and conservation action. Practical implications . Addressing geographic and methodological gaps requires broader institutional collaboration, including partnerships with not‐for‐profit organisations, museums and government agencies. Such collaborations can strengthen links between public participation, scientific outcomes and conservation action, and in turn, increase support for bat conservation, habitat protection and biodiversity policy objectives.
Sheldrick et al. (Thu,) studied this question.