the ANIMAL clients american kestrel falcon bald eagle beaver big brown bat barn owl black redstart black swallowtail butterfly bobcat california quail california sea-lion california slender salamander common frog common swift eastern mud turtle eastern tiger salamander edward's bumblebee european grass snake european kingfisher green frog hedgehog kestrel mason bee northern flying squirrel northwestern garter snake olive-sided flycatcher opossum peregrine falcon peregrine falcon (UK) purple martin red admiral butterfly snail-eating ground beetle house sparrow stag beetle tree swallow vaux's swift white breasted nuthatch wood duck grey heron

ANIMAL ESTATE client 5.4: SILVER-HAIRED BAT

FOR ANIMAL ESTATE 5.0: PORTLAND, OREGON

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Lasionycteris noctivagans

ANIMAL PROFILE: This medium sized bat is named for its dark black fur with silver tips, though sometimes colors vary to dark brown with yellow tips.   It has short, round, naked ears.

RANGE: The Silver-haired bat is found throughout much of North America - as far north as Alaska, and possibly even into areas of northeastern Mexico. This species is migratory, at least in part. It spends the summer in northern latitudes and winters toward the south, sometimes even crossing several hundred kilometers of ocean to reach Bermuda. (link): http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/lasinoct.htm

HABITAT: Lasionycteris noctivagans lives in wooded areas in the vicinity of ponds or streams, such as the coniferous forests of Oregon where there are older stands with large diameter snags.   They'll roost under loose bark, gravitating towards willow, maple and ash trees as well as other places where natural hollows can be found.   Though relatively solitary, they will, in small numbers, sometimes roost in open sheds and garages, wood piles, leaf litter, and building foundations.   This is potentially good to the human nearby, because they eat vast quantities of insects such as flies, beetles, and moths, as well as other species perceived as pests to humans, agriculture and forestry.     

COMMUNITY: The Silver-haired bat is generally known to be a solitary creature, though there is some evidence that females may form maternity colonies at certain points during the year. link

HOME CONSTRUCTION: Silver-haired bats make use of found environments, from the loose bark of trees, to empty bird cavities and building foundations.   A variety of designs are available for bat houses which can be constructed with varying degrees of complexity.  

Directions from Bat Conservation International (pdf)

Additional plans and tips

Criteria For Successful Bat Houses (pdf)

Alternative bat houses

THREATS: Because silver-haired bats are dependent upon roosts in Old Growth areas, managing forests for diverse age structure and maintaining forested corridors are important to these bats and their habitats. link

INTERESTING FACTS: Silver-haired bats are considered one of the slowest North American bats in flight, clocking in around 4.8-5.0 m/s.

Fisherman occasionally snag silver-haired bats in mid-air while casting their fishing lines.

Silver-haired bats use echolocation to find their prey. They have acute hearing, and communicate with one another using sound. Baby bats give high-pitched chirps when they become separated from their mothers. link

RESOURCES:

Animal Diversity Web: Naumann, R. 1999. "Lasionycteris noctivagans" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed August 08, 2008

Bat Conservation International

eNature

Mammals of Texas

Photo sources:

BCI

Merlin D. Tuttle

eNature

Michigan Science Art