Bat Guide

Size: Ontario’s largest bat, but weighs less than a chipmunk. 

Length: 10–15 centimetres (10–15 centimetres).

Wingspan: 34–42 centimetres.

Weight: 19–35 grams.

Description: White-tipped hairs give the appearance of hoarfrost contrasting with the grey body fur;  yellowish or toffee coloured hair around throat and face; short and rounded ears black at the edges; tail membrane also furred on the dorsal side.

Habitat: In Ontario hoary bats are found in coniferous or deciduous forests along edge habitat. They roost near the tops of trees and forage in clearings near sources of water.

Range: A widespread species found throughout North America south to Chile and Argentina in South America and indigenous to Hawaii; in Ontario ranges north to the southern tip of James Bay.

Bat fact: To meet the needs of its nursing twins and its own energy requirements, a lactating female may hunt for up to six hours, which is 73 percent longer than its usual foraging time.

Size: Medium-sized bat. 

Length: 8.5–12.5 centimetres.

Wingspan: 28–33 centimetres.

Weight: 7–18 grams.

Description: A colourful species distinguished by its yellowish orange to red fur; on some individuals, white-tipped hairs result in a “frosted” appearance; males usually brighter than females; back of the small rounded ears, face and tail membrane covered in fur.

Habitat: In Ontario eastern red bats are found in coniferous and mixed forests. They prefer to roost at the top of trees suspended from branches.

Range: South, central eastern and western Ontario north to James Bay; from the Maritimes to Saskatchewan in Canada and into the eastern United States.

Bat fact: Like the two other migratory species in Ontario (hoary and silver-haired bats), eastern red bats seem less susceptible to WNS. This may result from being less gregarious, as they migrate south in late summer or early fall and roost in trees rather than congregating in cool, damp caves which favours the WNS fungus.

Size: Medium-sized bat. 

Length: 9–11.5 centimetres.

Wingspan: 26–31 centimetres.

Weight: 6–14 grams.

Description: Dark brown to black all over, except on dorsal side where white tipped hairs give a “frosted” appearance; tail membrane partly furred; ears short, naked and black.

Habitat: Forested areas adjacent to water for foraging. Silver-haired bats roost under loose tree bark alone or in small groups.

Range: Throughout southern and central Ontario and westward to Lake of the Woods; widespread throughout temperate regions of North America.

Bat fact: Field studies of silver-haired bats have revealed a geographical separation of the sexes — females, even when pregnant, migrate farther north while males remain in the vicinity of the Lower Great Lakes.

Size: Medium-size bat. 

Length: 9–13 centimetres.

Wingspan: 32–39 centimetres.

Weight: 11–26 grams.

Description: Long, sometimes wavy, dark brown fur evenly coloured across the back with lighter undersides; face, ears and wing membranes black and unfurred; ears short.

Habitat: Big brown bat habitat varies including wooded habitats near water and urban areas.

Range: Common and widespread; found in Ontario around the Great Lakes and west to Manitoba; also ranges over most of North American continent from Alaska to northern South America and into the Caribbean islands.

Bat fact: Big brown bats are a hardy species, arriving late at hibernation sites and preferring cooler and drier locations near the entrances of caves, mines and anthropogenic structures. In summer, big brown bats remain relatively close to their hibernating sites (within 50 kilometres).

Status: Endangered provincially and nationally

Size: One of Ontario’s smallest bats. 

Length: 7–10 centimetres.

Wingspan: 19–26 centimetres.

Weight: 5–8 grams.

Description: A drab golden to greyish brown appearance, but back hairs tri-coloured with dark brown at the base, yellowish brown in the midsection and dusky grey at the tips; ears, nose, wing and tail membranes dark brown, except contrasting reddish brown forearm.

Habitat: Near edges of forests. Tricolored bats roost in rock crevices, caves, buildings and tree foliage. Hibernate in caves or abandoned mines.

Range: Found in southern, central and eastern Ontario and may be locally abundant; North American range restricted to eastern Canada and United States south into Mexico

Bat fact: Eastern tricolored bats lose up to 30 percent of their body mass during hibernation between October and April. During spring and summer, they are efficient predators, catching an insect every two seconds and, in a mere 30 minutes, are able to increase their body mass by 25 percent.

Status: Endangered provincially and nationally

Size: Small-sized bat. 

Length: 6–10 centimetres.

Wingspan: 21–27 centimetres.

Weight: 5–14 grams.

Description: Glossy brown fur across the back, light fur chin to tail. Little brown myotis bats are a part of the difficult-to-identify Myotis complex. The complex comprises three species (eastern small-footed, northern long-eared myotis, little brown myotis bat). These species are not distinguishable using a bat detector, so they can only be identified by morphological characteristics. Distinguishing characteristics include shorter, thin rounded fleshy projection at opening of ears and several long hairs that extend from its feet to its claws.

Habitat: During the day little brown bats roost in trees and buildings. They often selects attics, abandoned buildings and barns for summer colonies where they can raise their young. Little brown myotis bats, big brown bats and tricolored bats are the only three species in Ontario that regularly make use of buildings for their maternity colonies.

Range: From southern Ontario, north to the tree line. Wide-spread in Canada and the United States, into Mexico.

Bat fact: Before the arrival of WNS, the opportunity for a long life seemed within reach of bat offspring who survived their first winter hibernation. An adult male little brown myotis bat, banded in southeastern Ontario, survived for a record 31 years.

Status: Endangered provincially and nationally

Size: Small-sized bat. 

Length: 7–10 centimetres.

Wingspan: 21–26 centimetres.

Weight: 6–9 grams.

Description: Dull yellow-brown fur with pale grey belly, long rounded ears. Similar to the little brown myotis bat, except fleshy portion covering ears is pointed and longer. Hibernates from October to March, mostly in caves or abandoned mines.

Habitat: Forests including boreal and mixed; northern long-eared myotis roost in buildings, under loose bark and in tree cavities. Hibernates from October to March, mostly in caves or abandoned mines.

Range: In Ontario, Northern myotis is found across the southern regions of the province and along the north shores of lakes Huron and Superior. There are also occasional records from further north, including one from Moosonee. Globally, they are found throughout Canadian provinces and territories and the mid and eastern states in the U.S.

Bat fact: Approximately 40 percent of the northern myotis’ global range is in Canada.

Description: Yellowish brown to coppery brown over the back and top of head; buffy to pale grey underneath; black around the muzzle and eyes creates a “masked” appearance; ears, membranes of the tail and wings dark brown and naked.

Habitat: In spring and summer, small-footed myotis roost in a variety of habitats including rocks, rock outcrops, buildings, under bridges, in caves, mines or hollow trees. In winter, they hibernate in caves and abandoned mines in deciduous and mixed forest regions of Ontario and Quebec.

Range: In Ontario, spotty distribution south of Georgian Bay to Lake Erie and east to the Pembroke area with sightings in Espanola, Lake Superior Provincial Park and Bruce Peninsula. They have been found in the Appalachian region of the United States.

Bat fact: This species is susceptible to decline as forests are logged around hibernation and foraging areas. The survival rate for female eastern small-footed myotis bats appears to be substantially lower, at 42 percent, than that of males, at 76 percent. This difference may be due to the demands of reproduction, the need for females to remain active for longer periods each day, and to their having less time to accumulate sufficient body mass for hibernation. Small-footed bats are the rarest bat in Canada.