Bats in Austin, Texas Round Rock, Texas
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More than 1.5 million bats emerge each night at dusk from under Congress Avenue bridge (& have for more than two decades). |
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Make to have some bug spray. There are a lot of mosquitoes out there (probably on the bat's nightly menu) |
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There are many different kinds of bats there.
The majority are Mexican free-tailed bats |
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Their abode, beneath the Interstate 35 overpass above McNeil Road just southwest of downtown, isn't difficult to find. Just keep your eyes -- and nostrils -- open. |
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Texas Trip a_Dallas Texas Trip b_Dallas Texas Trip c2_Texas Bats Texas Trip A_Zilker Park Texas Trip B_Zilker Park Texas Trip C_Zilker Park Texas Trip e_Sea World Texas Trip e2_Sea World Texas Trip f_Ronna's House |
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For Jason: http://www.jnautoair.com/national.htm
THE 34TH INTERNATIONAL STUDEBAKER DRIVERS MEET PHOTOS
Bat FAQ for Bat Watchers
By Julie Bonnin
Austin American-Statesman
Each spring, free-tailed bats migrate from central Mexico to roosting sites throughout the southwestern United States. By mid-March, hundreds of thousands of mother bats arrive in Austin.
The 15 crevices in the Congress Avenue Bridge provide the perfect shelter for the mother bats, who each give birth to a pup in early June.
Austin's hot, humid weather is also a perfect breeding ground for insects -- the main course for the bats.
When do they come out?
Depends on time of year and weather, says Bat Conservation International
spokesperson Robert Benson. Late in the summer, after the babies are born and
their numbers swell, they will emerge well before sundown.
Whom can I call to check?
American-Statesman's Inside Line Bat Hotline, at 416-5700, Ext. 3636.
Is rabies a danger?
Like any mammal, bats can become infected. Jane Mahlow, a veterinarian in the
Texas Health Department, said, "If you simply sit there and enjoy watching
the bats, it's a wonderful sight to behold and there's no risk to you. The risk
would be touching a bat." Bats found lying on the ground typically are sick
or injured.
How many tourists watch?
During peak bat-watching season (mid-August), more than 1,000 people come out to
see the bats each night, according to BCI.
Which side of the bridge?
Most of the bats emerge from the east side, flying away from the setting sun.
Some of the younger bats (who presumably haven't yet learned the rules) emerge
from the west, then cross over the bridge to follow their elders.
Masters of the Nighttime Sky Classification: Bats are mammals and belong to the order Chiroptera,
meaning "hand wing."
Size: Full grown free-tails are about 2-5 inches long, weigh one
ounce, an have a 10-inch wingspan.
Color: Drab color, ranging from dark brown to gray.
Ears: Their ears are formed to maximize hearing, as well as contribute
to lift during flight.
Wings: Long, narrow wings are geared for high speed and
maneuverability. The bats can fly-climb to altitudes of 10,000 feet (higher than
any other bat) assisted by tail winds, attaining speeds up to 65 mph in flight.
Lifespan: From birth, bats have a 50 percent chance of survival during
the first year of life. They have an average life-span of 7-8 years; some live
as long as 15 years.
Lips: Prominent wrinkled lips help direct sounds needed for
navigation.
Fur: Short, velvety fur helps reduce drag.
Guano: Bat droppings, called guano, are one of the richest
fertilizers. Bat guano was once a big business. Guano was the state's largest
mineral export before oil.
What bats like to eat: Depending on the season and size of the colony,
the bats eat 10,000 to 30,000 pounds of insects a night. Their favorites include
Corn ear-worm moths, Codling moths, and June beetles.
Seeing in the dark: Mexican free-tailed bats can find their food in
total darkness. The echolocate or located objects by emitting inaudible
high-pitched sounds, 10-20 beeps per second and listening to echoes.
Under the bridge: When reconstruction of the 947-foot Congress Avenue
bridge was completed in 1980, the Mexican free-tailed bat found the underside
vertical crevices to be the perfect roosting site. There are 15 of these
crevices across Congress Avenue and 14,000 linear feet of potential bat habitat.
Where the bats go at night On an average night, scientists believe the
bats travel an average of 20 miles radius from their roost, often flying inthe
same direction. They tend to fly east in search of farmland, where insects are
most plentiful.
Remember... Any bat that can be caught is more likely than others to
be sick and should never be handled. If you see a distressed bat, leave it
alone.
Facts on Mexican
free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis)
