Stats

Lifespan: 8-18 yrs
Size: Tiny
Diet: Insectivore
Activity: Nocturnal
Social: Colony
Biome: Subtropical scrubland
Range: The Americas
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Live Birth
Defense: Speed
Status: Uncommon

About

One of the most abundant mammals in North America—a single colony under Austin's Congress Avenue Bridge holds up to 1.5 million individuals. Its tail extends well past the wing membrane (giving the species its name) and acts as a rudder that enables sharp aerial turns while hunting at speeds exceeding 100 mph.

Life cycle

1.
newborn pup
A hairless pup clings to its mother in the roost, nursing and growing rapidly.
2.
juvenile
A furred juvenile is left in a nursery cluster while its mother forages, gaining strength in its wings.
3.
fledgling
A near-adult bat takes its first short flights and begins catching prey or feeding on its own.
4.
adult
Fully grown, flying and foraging confidently.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Molossidae
Genus: Tadarida
Species: Tadarida brasiliensis