Mammals · Chiroptera · Vespertilionidae

North American Hoary Bat

Lasiurus cinereus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The hoary bat is the most widely distributed bat in the Americas and one of the few that roosts in the open among foliage, wrapped in its own wing membrane, rather than in caves or holes. Its brown fur with silver-tipped hairs gives it the frosted look its name comes from. It is migratory: the northern populations travel thousands of kilometres south in autumn. It is the species most affected by collisions with wind turbines in North America.

Weight

20 g – 35 g

Size

8 cm – 11 cm

Lifespan

7 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestTemperate forestInsectivore Nocturnal Solitary Rainforest Temperate forest Mammal

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Fun facts

It is Hawaii's native land mammal: a population flew in from the Americas thousands of years ago and colonised the archipelago, becoming the only native land mammal subspecies of the islands.
It is the species that dies most often at North American wind farms: the drop in pressure beside the blades causes fatal barotrauma even without striking it.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Tree canopies in woodland, parks and wooded areas of the Americas, from Canada to Argentina
Gestation / incubation: 56 days
Litter / clutch size: 2

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeorestes_cinereus