Viewing Bats in Washington
Bats often capture insects when flying by scooping them into their tail or wing membranes, and then putting the insects into their mouth.
The safest way to view and enjoy bats is to watch them in action. Bats are fascinating flyers, zigging and zagging about as they chase and eat insects. Little brown bats and Yuma bats prefer to hunt over water. Big brown bats are often seen hunting along the margins of wooded areas, or silhouetted against the lighter sky as they twist and turn high above the tree canopy. It's also fun to watch bats drink, which they usually do first thing after leaving their day roost. They scoop up mouthfuls of water with their lower jaws as they fly over lakes, streams, ponds, or water troughs. Most bats do not come out to eat or drink in heavy rain or when the air temperature remains below 50 degrees F.
To view bats, follow these tips:
Choose a warm summer evening and a place where you can sit and view the place where bats will emerge from a roost site or have been spotted in the air.
When waiting for bats to emerge from a roost site, such as an attic or bat house, remain still and quiet, and listen for the squeaks or clicks that many species make before emerging.
Some species of bats begin their night flights 20 to 30 minutes before dark—the common big brown bat may be out foraging earlier. The rare canyon bat from the arid regions of Washington emerges before the sun goes down, and has been seen foraging with violet-green swallows. Other species don't emerge until after dark.
The best places to see bats in flight are where night-flying insects abound, such as next to a stream, lake, or pond, over a meadow or large lawn, along a forest edge, or around bright streetlights or porch lights.
With the aid of an inexpensive, commercial bat detector, listen for the echolocation calls bats make when navigating and locating prey.
The safest way to view and enjoy bats is to watch them in action. Bats are fascinating flyers, zigging and zagging about as they chase and eat insects. Little brown bats and Yuma bats prefer to hunt over water. Big brown bats are often seen hunting along the margins of wooded areas, or silhouetted against the lighter sky as they twist and turn high above the tree canopy. It's also fun to watch bats drink, which they usually do first thing after leaving their day roost. They scoop up mouthfuls of water with their lower jaws as they fly over lakes, streams, ponds, or water troughs. Most bats do not come out to eat or drink in heavy rain or when the air temperature remains below 50 degrees F.
To view bats, follow these tips:
Choose a warm summer evening and a place where you can sit and view the place where bats will emerge from a roost site or have been spotted in the air.
When waiting for bats to emerge from a roost site, such as an attic or bat house, remain still and quiet, and listen for the squeaks or clicks that many species make before emerging.
Some species of bats begin their night flights 20 to 30 minutes before dark—the common big brown bat may be out foraging earlier. The rare canyon bat from the arid regions of Washington emerges before the sun goes down, and has been seen foraging with violet-green swallows. Other species don't emerge until after dark.
The best places to see bats in flight are where night-flying insects abound, such as next to a stream, lake, or pond, over a meadow or large lawn, along a forest edge, or around bright streetlights or porch lights.
With the aid of an inexpensive, commercial bat detector, listen for the echolocation calls bats make when navigating and locating prey.
This information was provided the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Russell Link and Michael Holmquist
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