Bats in Texas

Texas is home to the widest variety of bats living in the United States. These flying critters have been able to adapt to not only the various habitats in the state but have also adjusted to urban environments. Bats are so prevalent in Texas that the Mexican Free-tailed Bat was named the state mammal of Texas in 1995.

Different Types of Bats in Texas

Free-tailed Bats (Molossidae)

• Big Free-tailed Bat
• Mexican Free-tailed Bat
• Pocketed Free-tailed Bat
• Western Mastiff Bat

Ghost-faced Bats (Mormoopidae)

• Ghost-faced Bat

New World Leaf-nosed Bats (Phyllostomidae)

• Greater Long-nosed Bat
• Mexican Long-tongued Bat

Vesper Bats (Vespertilionidae)

• Arizona Myotis
• Big Brown Bat
• California Myotis
• Canyon Bat
• Cave Myotis
• Eastern Red Bat
• Evening Bat
• Fringed Myotis
• Hoary Bat
• Long-legged Myotis
• Northern Long-eared Bat
• Northern Yellow Bat
• Pallid Bat
• Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bat
• Seminole Bat
• Silver-haired Bat
• Southeastern Myotis
• Southern Yellow Bat
• Spotted Bat
• Townsend’s Big-eared Bat
• Tricolored Bat
• Western Red Bat
• Western Small-footed Myotis
• Western Yellow Bat
• Yuma Myotis

Places To Go Bat Watching in Texas

One of the most well-known places to see bats is the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas. This bridge is home to the world’s largest colony of Mexican Free-tailed Bats living in an urban environment. However, Bracken Cave near San Antonio is home to the world’s largest number of Mexican Free-tailed Bats, with 15 million recorded. Besides these two places, Mexican Free-tailed Bats and other species can also be seen in Old Tunnel State Park, Devil’s Sinkhole, Camden Street Bridge, Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve, and Frio Bat Cave.

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