How did it start? Facts! Located along the Museum Reach segment of the River Walk, Foster Road Bridge Ann W. Richards I-35 Bridge the expansion joint under the concrete bridge is the perfect Waugh Drive Bridge ’ use of bridges as roosts came to TxDOT’s attention • Male bats sing during courtship. Beyond the Road San Angelo home. The colony’s close proximity to the river gives the bats an Downtown Houston TxDOT Environmental Affairs Division in 1980 when a colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats moved Congress Avenue Bridge at Lampasas River • Bats drink “on-the-,” swooping over water for Downtown Austin Salado open area to glide through when they emerge for their nightly into the crevices beneath the newly reconstructed quick sips. feeding of agricultural pests. Since 1917, the highway department has built roads Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin. At the time, there The San Antonio River Authority hosts annual Bat Loco events at shaped around the state’s scenic splendor and cultural were many unanswered questions about the bats’ impact • Baby bats are called “pups.” Lady Bird Lake To BELTON the intersection of Camden and Newell streets to highlight the 10 heritage. Engineers eased travelers’ journeys by on the structural integrity of the bridge and potential 306 • Recent research shows bats climb thousands of feet Cesar Chavez St. bat colony, educate the public about the importance of bats and 87 building beautiful bridges, paving scenic roads and health risks to the public. Lampasas River into the sky and use tail winds to reach speeds near spread awareness of bat conservation. The annual “Bat Loco creating welcoming roadside parks. Today, the 1670 Blvd. Heights A joint investigation led by TxDOT engineer Mark 100 mph. Bash” in August concludes the event series with food trucks, Washington Ave. Environmental Affairs Division at TxDOT helps care 35 Studemont Dr. 378 S. 1st Street educational booths, kids’ activities, and, of course, the bats! Bloschock and Merlin Tuttle, founder of Bat Conservation ve. Barton Springs Road A for the state’s natural and cultural resources in tandem • Bats are not blind. Echolocation is a supplement to Rd. Foster Elmer King Rd. Memorial Dr. 45

International and current head of Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Dr. Sheperd their excellent vision. 35 with this vision. E. Riverside Congress Conservation, found that bridges and culverts are among Amity Rd. Allen Pkwy. the favored man-made roosts for a number of bat • Bat knees face backward as an adaptation to bats W. Dallas St. hanging upside down. Additionally, the tendons in their To SALADO species. Los Olmos Bridge Dr. Waugh toes lock, allowing them to hang without using up Riviera BATS energy. The Foster Road Bridge over Loop 306 in San Angelo offers The Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, located in A large roosting colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats was Waugh Drive Bridge spans Buffalo Bayou, less than two miles Bat-viewing Tips viewing opportunities for Brazilian free-tailed bats. The bats the heart of downtown Austin, hosts one of the largest urban discovered under the I-35 bridge over the Lampasas River in Bell west of downtown Houston. An estimated 250,000 Brazilian • Bats from a single bridge eat tons of crop pests in a • Do not shine flashlights or fire camera flashes into the roost in narrow crevices on the underside of the bridge. They bat colonies in the world, estimated at 1.5 million bats. County near Salado. When it was time to replace this bridge, free-tailed bats call the bridge home. Upon emerging single night. In spring, bats intercept migratory pests first arrive in late March and are wholly absent by the end of It is a , and mother Brazilian free-tailed bats TxDOT estimated the number of bats using the bridge, the at sunset, the bats usually fly east along the bayou before faces of emerging bats; after bats have flown past it is before they can reach Texas crops, saving farmers November. During the last decade, spring and early summer (aka Mexican free-tailed bats) raise an estimated 500,000 pups amount of roosting habitat the existing bridge offered, as well RIVIERA 771 dispersing. okay to fire a flash camera. populations have fluctuated between a few thousand and each year at the bridge. as the microclimate where the bats roosted. Using this millions annually. While the majority of bats at other bridges and caves migrate

150,000 bats. But from late summer through October, when information, TxDOT placed specially designed bat boxes on the 1090 • Loud noises may cause bats to delay their emergence, 1072 Large numbers of bats began roosting in the Congress Avenue 1080 to each winter, many of the Waugh Drive Bridge bats maternity colonies have mostly dispersed, up to 184,000 have new bridge, replacing the habitat that the old bridge offered. spoiling the show. Bridge in the early 1980s, shortly after it was renovated. Few do not. Experts think these bats may make up the largest been recorded. The best time for viewing is at sunset. The bats occupied the boxes shortly after they were initially 2340 people understood how valuable the bats were, and many 285 77 colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats that resides in Texas all • Do not throw objects at flying or roosting bats. placed. Viewing opportunities are available from Pace Park feared them. Today, Austin loves its bats, and this interna- year-round. located off Main Street in downtown Salado; look northwest to • Give emerging bats the right of way. tional tourist attraction brings 140,000 people and as much as the bridge over I-35. In 2006, a bat observation deck was installed in Buffalo Bayou $10 million to Austin every year. • Bats found on the ground may be sick or injured. Park, with free parking at Spotts Park. The park gives free bat Please do not touch them. McNeil Overpass at I-35 Watch from the lawn of the Austin American-Statesman’s Bat presentations Thursday through Saturday during summer. Round Rock Observation Area, which offers educational kiosks year-round Amarillo “Bat Chats” occur at the bridge on Friday nights from March and volunteer bat educators on weekend evenings from A large colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats is present year- through October. Plan to arrive 30 minutes before sunset TxDOT’s Bat Program May through September. You can also get nice views of the Camden Street Bridge round at the bridge over Los Olmos Creek on US 77 near Wichita San Antonio River Walk Riviera, 19 miles south of Kingsville. To access from the north to hear the presentation. Houston Area Bat Team members are Equipped with information on bats’ roosting preferences, HIGH Falls long columns of emerging bats from atop the bridge itself. PLAINS Texarkana heading south, watch for a gravel pull-off area on the west on hand to answer general questions about bats as well as ROLLING Round Rock Ave. Boat tours are available from Lone Star Riverboats and Capital TxDOT designs and retrofits bridges and culverts where side of the road about 0.1 mile north of the actual bridge. questions about the Waugh Drive Bridge colony.

PLAINS Mayes it is appropriate and economical. Lubbock Fort Worth Dallas Cruises. 620 To access from the south, cross over the bridge and watch for Abilene BLACKLAND Longview N. St. Mary’s St. Buffalo Bayou Partnership offers boat trips on the bayou. El Paso PRAIRIES a gravel pull-off area on the east side of the road. CROSS Grimes A.W. 281 Gattis School Rd. TxDOT’s bridge engineers and biologists work together McNeil TIMBERS AND PINEY 368 PRAIRIES to evaluate and design bridges and culverts that can TRANS-PECOS WOODS San Angelo POST OAK Casa Blanca St. double as bat roosts. In areas where the presence of bats MOUNTAINS SAVANNAH EDWARDS Austin is not desirable, TxDOT biologists carefully and humanely 45 PLATEAU Houston 35 Alpine 35 San Antonio River exclude bats from their bridge roosts. TxDOT waits until San Antonio 35 E. Quincy St. Jones St. the bats have migrated south and then makes minor GULF PRAIRIES AND MARSHES changes to bridges and other structures that will make Camden St. SOUTH TEXAS Most people may be familiar with the Congress Avenue Bridge the structures unattractive to bat colonies. PLAINS 37 bats in Austin, but there is another bat colony 15 miles north of Corpus C Laredo Austin in Round Rock that offers bat-viewing opportunities Christi Nestled under the I-35 bridge where it crosses the San Antonio To learn more about TxDOT’s with almost as many Brazilian free-tailed bats. Free parking is M River near Camden Street, a colony of approximately 50,000 Environmental Division, McAllen available at the NAPA Auto Parts store parking lot on a Y TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Brownsville male Brazilian free-tailed bats roosts during the summer months. go to www.txdot.gov, first-come, first-served basis. keyword “Beyond The Road” CM

MY • TRANS-PECOS MOUNTAINS • CROSS TIMBERS AND PRAIRIES CY • HIGH PLAINS • BLACKLAND PRAIRIES ROLLING PLAINS POST OAK SAVANNAH CMY • • 32 Bat Species in Texas EDWARDS PLATEAU PINEY WOODS Arranged regionally. Color codes correspond to map. • • K • SOUTH TEXAS PLAINS • GULF PRAIRIES AND MARSHES

Mexican Long-nosed Bat • Myotis • Fringed Myotis • Long-legged Myotis • • Townsend’s Big-eared Bat •••• • Northern Long-eared Myotis • American Parastrelle •••• Ghost-faced Bat ••• •••••••••• •••••••••• American Perimyotis •••••••• ••••• •••• Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bat • (endangered) (Myotis californicus) (Myotis thysanodes) (Myotis volans) ( blossevillii) ( townsendii) (threatened) (Myotis septentrionalis) (Parastrellus hesperus) (Mormoops megalophylla) (Lasiurus borealis) ( cinereus) (Perimyotis subflavus) ( intermedius) (Lasiurus seminolus) (threatened) (Leptonycteris nivalis) A small bat with short limbs and a A large bat with large ears featuring A large bat with a relatively long tail, A medium-size bat with a rusty red A medium-size bat with extremely (Dasypterus ega) A small bat with long ears and a A small gray bat with a distinct A medium-size, reddish-brown or A medium-size, distinctly rounded, A large bat with short round ears. A small bat with large ears and pale A large, yellow-brown bat with short A medium-size bat with a rich (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) A medium-size bat with short ears relatively long tail and ears. This is a short stiff hairs. The species is short ears, and large feet. This to brown coloration. Although this large, flexible ears and a noticeable A small bat with a yellowish brown dull, gray-brown coloration. While black-leathery face. This species can dark brown bat with leaf-like reddish bat with short ears. This The coloration is gray to brown with yellowish-brown underparts. This ears and long, silky fur. The mahogany brown coloration. The A medium-size bat with and no tail. This Mexican species western species, found in the migratory and can be found in the species occurs in the central range species is found throughout the far outgrowth on each side of its snout. coloration. This species can be widely distributed over eastern and be found throughout the western appendages on its chin. In Texas, species is one of the few North heavily frosted-white tips. This species can be found in the eastern distribution of this bat is restricted distribution of this species is closely extremely large ears, featuring a enters Texas in the Big Bend Trans-Pecos region of Texas. Trans-Pecos region of Texas during of the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. western areas of the United States This bat’s coloration is a nearly found from south Texas all the way northern North America, only one portion of the state. this bat resides along the southern American species that roosts in species, like the Eastern Red Bat, half of the state, including the to the eastern portion of the state, related to the pine forests of the dark coloration with white-tipped Region. This bat is listed as the summertime. and south into Mexico, only one uniform brown with slightly paler down to . Texas Parks and specimen has been collected in edge of the Edwards Plateau open trees rather than caves or roosts in the open and across Rolling Plains west to Armstrong extending from Lamar County eastern regions of Texas, extending fur. This species is restricted to a endangered by the Texas Parks specimen has been found in Texas in underparts. The bat can be found in Wildlife has listed this bat as south Texas in 1942 from Dimmit and in the South Texas Plains and tunnels. The Eastern Red Bat travels the entire state, moving northward County and central Texas as far west southward to Cameron County and westward to Hunt, Dallas, Coryell small portion of the pine forests and Wildlife Department, although Presidio County. the western half of the state. threatened only because of its County. Trans-Pecos regions. across the entire state, moving in the spring and southward in as Val Verde County. westward to Bexar County. and Williamson counties. of East Texas. the species is vibrant throughout limited distribution in the southern northward in the spring and south the winter. much of Mexico. part of the state. in the fall.

Pocketed Free-tailed Bat • (threatened) • Yuma Myotis • Western Bonneted Bat • •••• Western Small-footed Myotis Southwestern Little Brown • Mexican Long-tongued Bat • Cave Myotis •••• Brazilian Free-tailed Bat Silver-haired Bat ••••••••• ••••••• •••• Big Free-tailed Bat •••••• Southeastern Myotis •• (Nyctinomops femorosaccus) (Euderma maculatum) (Myotis yumanensis) (Eumops perotis) (Antrozous pallidus) (Myotis ciliolabrum) •• Myotis • (Dasypterus xanthinus) (Choeronycteris mexicana) (Myotis velifer) (aka Mexican Free-tailed Bat) (Lasionycteris noctivagans) ( humeralis) ( fuscus) (Nyctinomops macrotis) (Myotis austroriparius) (Myotis occultus) (Tadarida brasiliensis) A medium-size bat similar in appear- A large bat with extremely large A small bat with relatively large feet. A free-tailed bat similar to the A large yellowish-brown bat with A small bat with small feet, short Easily confused with the Southern A medium-size bat with a long, A large bat with large feet, short •••••••••• A medium-size nearly black bat with A small black or brown bat featuring A medium-size bat with short wings A bat very similar in appearance to A small bat with wooly fur, ance to the Brazilian free-tailed, ears, featuring a black coloration Their coloration is dull and pinkish, Brazilian free-tailed species but large ears and feet. This species of ears, and a relatively long tail. This A small bat with long glossy-black Yellow Bat, this species features a slender muzzle, featuring a gray to ears, and dull-brown coloration. This A medium-size bat with broad ears, brown ears and dense fur with white small leathery black ears. This and rich chestnut-brown underparts; the Brazilian free-tailed, although featuring a brown upper body although with narrower features. and three large white spots (one on although it becomes darker with nearly seven times as large. This bat is a common resident across the species is primarily found in the hairs. Only one specimen of this bat brighter yellow underbelly and brown coloration. This Mexican species can be found across most of large feet, short tail, and a tips, creating a frosted appearance. species’ distribution is throughout ears are small but thick and much larger. The coloration ranges and white-tipped hairs on its This bat is only known from each shoulder and one on the age, and features a nearly white species features a brown or gray western half of the state. Trans-Pecos region of Texas, has been collected in Texas in the lacks the dark face coloration. The species can be found in the extreme the Trans-Pecos region, south Texas, coloration varying from reddish to The distribution of this species is the eastern portion of the state west leathery-black. This species is widely from light reddish-brown to dark underparts. This bat resides in specimens retrieved from Big Bend rump). This species is uncommon underbelly. In Texas, this species is brown coloration and is restricted to although multiple records indicate a early 1900s near Fort Hancock in distribution of this species is southern regions of Texas as well eastern portions of the Panhandle, black. This species can be found statewide except for coastal areas, to Clay County in the north and Val distributed over most of the eastern brown, with paler underparts. The the Piney Woods region of National Park. but widespread in semi-arid regions found in the southern Trans-Pecos just Presidio, Brewster and Val Verde small population occurring in the Hudspeth County. restricted to a small region of as in New Mexico and . north-central Texas, and the statewide, although some from Matagorda southward to Verde County in the south. and western parts of Texas but is distribution of this species is eastern Texas and most of the of the western United States, and is region eastward to Val Verde counties. High Plains of the Panhandle in southwest Texas from Jeff Davis Edwards Plateau. populations migrate southward to Cameron counties. curiously absent from the central scattered in the Trans-Pecos region, southeastern United States. only known in Texas from specimens County. Armstrong and Randall counties. County westward to Val Verde Mexico during the fall. The Brazilian regions. the Panhandle, and the south- found in Big Bend National Park. County. free-tailed colony under Austin’s eastern portions of the state. The restricted range in Texas has Congress Avenue Bridge is the landed this bat a spot in Texas Parks largest urban bat colony in North America. Additionally, the 10 to 20 and Wildlife’s threatened species Bat images courtesy of million Brazilian free-tailed bats at list. Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation; Bracken Cave near New Braunfels is additional images at the largest bat colony in the world. MerlinTuttle.org