Uploaded byThe Save Lucy Campaign
Photographic guide to bats
This document provides information about identifying bat species through their physical characteristics such as size, coloration, ear shape, and habitat. It includes descriptions and photos of 15 North American bat species commonly found in the eastern United States. The intended audience is bat rehabilitators and enthusiasts. The creator requests photo credits when sharing the document.
Photographic guide to bats
- 1. By The SaveLucy Campaign www.saveLucythebat.org
- 2. Slide showis intended for bat rehabilitators and bat enthusiasts. Please feel free to distribute, but be nice and credit the source. This is a work in progress. Species will be added as photos are procured. In a very few instances, photo credit is unknown. If we have used a photo that belongs to you or your agency, please let us know who to credit. Thanks in advance! All other photos belong to Rich Sturges and/or The Save Lucy Campaign.
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- 6. Tragus The narrow element inthe ear Important in telling Myotis spp. apart
- 7. BODY Size Weigh! Measure nose totail Coat Color Some have banded fur Color varies with age and among individuals Length Furred tail membrane? Furred wrists?
- 8. SIDE VIEW Color ofdorsal vs. ventral fur Color of wing, tail membrane
- 9. FOREARM Measure!! For the loveof all that is holy, measure the forearm!!! Over 40mm and brown = big brown bat
- 10. FOOT If forearm isless than 40mm, might need to measure foot
- 11. ToeHairs For brown batswith forearms under 40mm, might need to examine toe hairs Copious? Long? Usually need magnification and very good light to see
- 12. Keel For brown batswith forearms under 40mm, might need to look at calcar Yes!! No!!
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- 14. Short, roundedears Broad, bald muzzle Forearm OVER 41 mm 16—20+ grams; 14 inch wingspan Nonmigratory Uses buildings summer and winter Also uses caves and mines for hibernation Beetle eater 2 young per year born late May early June Lifespan 15—18 years
- 15. Long, narrowears Sharp, furred/whiskered muzzle Forearm 34—41 mm 7—9 grams; 9inch wingspan Highly variable in color and body size. Often uses buildings or barns in summer Migrates to caves in winter—may move 200+ miles to reach appropriate hibernacula Forms large colonies May roost with other myotis species One pup per year Lifespan 30+ years PAGameCommission
- 16. Big Brown BatLittle Brown Bat
- 17. ENDANGERED Usesbuilding roosts, but also associated with old trees with sloughing bark Is known to roost with Little Brown Bats Same size and very similar appearance to Little Brown Bat Nose is slightly shorter; face has a pinkish cast; keeled calcar; sparse, short toe hairs; small foot Migrates to caves for winter; recovered over 200 miles from banding sites Courtesy: John Chenger, Bat Conservation & Management, Inc. Courtesy: NY DEC Courtesy:JohnChenger,Bat Conservation& Management,Inc.
- 18. Photo by AdamMann, Environmental Solutions and Innovations Little Brown Bat Indiana Bat
- 19. Proposed forESA listing Extremely long, narrow ears extend 4mm past nose when pushed forward Narrow, sparsely furred muzzle Horizontally striated tail membrane is diagnostic Forearm 32—39 mm 7—9 grams; 9 inch wingspan Very similar in appearance to Little Brown Bats May roost with other myotis species or in small colonies of conspecifics. Found in deck umbrellas, tree hollows, loose siding Thought to migrate to caves for winter BUT new information suggests this may not be true
- 20. Little Brown BatNorthern Long Ear Bat B. Crokus
- 21. ENDANGERED Somewhatlarger than other Myotis species 6—13 g; 40—46mm forearm Woolly gray or russet fur Hair is solid color base to tip Membrane attaches at ankle; claws are notched Uses caves year round, but moves to three distinct cave roosts: hibernation, nursery, summer
- 22. Gray tobright brown fur 5—8 g ; forearm 36—40mm 10 in wingspan Belly fur markedly lighter than dorsal fur Pinkish face, wooly fur Southern coastal areas; Great Dismal Swamp Not common Smithsonian Museum of Natural HIstory
- 23. Distinctive blackmask Smallest bat in region 3—5g; wingspan 8.5—9.5 in Forearm 30—36mm Foot is only 8mm; keeled calcar Associated with scree and talus slopes Western, mountainous areas Rare across range Dependent on puddles and road ruts for drinking water
- 24. Small bat,but looks like big brown bat 6—12 grams, 9—10 in wingspan Forearm 33—39mm Tragus short, curved, rounded Usually uniformly dark Range is mainly south of LBB’s but overlaps in mid-Atlantic Uses buildings in summer No one knows what they do in winter, but one was recovered from a moving box in winter. Possibly had been in attic.
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- 26. Formerly Easternpipistrelle Very small bat with reddish brown fur and red forearms 6—8 g; up to 9 in wingspan Forearm 31—35 mm Long, pointed ears Banded fur; dark, light, dark Forms small maternity colonies in tree hollows and sometimes under decks and open barn lofts Has twins; pups are under 1 g at birth Migrates to caves for winter Often killed at turbine sites
- 27. Very distinctive;black or deep chocolate brown with silver tipping on dorsal fur. Face, ear, and facial fur are uniformly dark. Medium sized ; 8—12g Forearm 37—44mm; wingspan 11 in Not usually associated with buildings, but have been recovered from open sheds and garages during winter May enter caves on occasion Form small maternity colonies in tree hollows in northeast or in higher elevations in mid-Atlantic Considered highly migratory; found dead at wind turbines
- 28. Very distinctive;buffy, gray, & rust fur; black points; short, rounded ears with black rims Forearm 46—58mm; 16 in wingspan Largest North American Bat; 20—38 grams Migratory; may move from Canada to Mexico; overwinters in mid-Atlantic; lactating female recovered in Haymarket, VA in 2013 Foliage bat; does not use buildings Highly impacted by wind turbines
- 29. Buffy, sandy,or red with short, rounded ears Medium sized bat; 9—15g Forearm 35-45mm; 12 in wingspan Males are smaller and more brightly colored Highly migratory; common wind turbine victims Foliage bat; does not use buildings Solitary; raises young in tree foliage Mates on the wing Often hit by cars Prone to window strikes Blue Jays prey on mothers with young
- 30. Very similarto red bats Deep russet fur, mahogany colored skin 10—15 g; forearm 35—45 mm 12 in wingspan Known from the southern coastal regions SmithsonianMuseumofNaturalHistory Mammalwatching.com
- 31. Pale yellowishfur Larger than reds or Seminoles 18—24g; forearm 45—56 mm Wingspan 14—15 in Only recorded from one county in SE VA John Abbott
- 32. ENDANGERED Lumpynose Ears more than 1” long 9—12 g Cave dependent year round Very sensitive to disturbance Virginia state bat! State ENDANGERED Very similar to VBEB Ears more than 1” long 8—14 g Highly associated with tree hollows in swamps, but uses other habitats in range