Bat Viewing in Texas: The Best Sites for Seeing Bats
Batty for bats? Texas, especially Central Texas boasts great viewing sites for watching the bats emerge from their caves. Huge bat colonies come out during the evening from March until October from caves, bridges, and tunnels in Texas. Texas has 33 species of bats according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Association. Central Texas is the most populated region for the bats and is famous for the Mexican free-tailed bat.
The bat is an agricultural friend as it controls some of the worst pests. The Mexican free-tailed bat eats moths that lay eggs which develop into caterpillars that eat on crops such as corn and cotton. These voracious feeders consume more than 1,000 tons of insects every night.
Various bat viewing sites:
Clarity Tunnel, Caprock Canyons State Park
This park is located near Silverton, TX. Contact the park at 806-455-1492.
Congress Avenue Bridge, Austin, TX
This bridge is located about one mile south of the Capitol and is the world’s largest urban bat colony consisting of 1.5 million bats. You can call the Statesman’s bat hotline at 512-4-6-5700, category 3636 for more information.
Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area:
This is located near Rocksprings, Texas. Tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday, April through October, by reservation. Adults are $12, over 65 are $10, Children 4-11 are $6, and those under 4 are free. For more information, contact the Devil’s Sinkhole Society at 830-683-2287.
Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve in Mason, Texas
This cave is home to about 6 million bats. Tours are available during the evening hours. For more information, contact www.nature.org.
Frio Cave in Concan, Texas
The state’s second largest rural colony has 10 to 12 million bats. Located in the Texas Hill Country, tours are provided. For more information, contact, 830-966-2320.
Old Tunnel Wildlife Management Area, Sisdale, Texas
The tunnel is an abandoned railroad tunnel where three million bats emerge each evening.
Educational programs regarding the bats are presented each evening. The upper viewing deck is open seven days a week and viewing is free. The lower deck is open from Thursday through Sunday and there is a fee. Call for further information 1-866-978-2287.
Stuart Bat Cave, Kickapoo Cavern state Park Brackettville, Texas
Reservations should be made in advance to view the cave. For tour information and price, contact 830-563-2342.
Waugh Drive Bridge Houston, Texas
This new bat watching site is being developed by the city of Houston. The plan is to offer boat tours and have a biologist host a bat night to answer questions. For information call 281-456-7029.
Trivia for all Bat Lovers:
According to the bat World Sanctuary:
Bats are not related to rodents.
Bats are the only flying mammals in the world. (Flying Squirrels do not fly, they glide.)
Of the 1,000 plus species of bats, only three are vampire bats limited mostly to Latin America. These bats generally drink the blood of poultry and do not attack humans.
Seventy percent of bats eat insects.
Bats are found everywhere in the world. The exception is the extreme dessert areas and the polar regions.
Most bats navigate with high frequency sounds. Using sound alone these bats can detect obstacles as fine as a human hair in total darkness.
Bats can live a long time. Some species live as long as 34 years.
Like Dolphins, bats are intelligent, live in a social structure, and have 20 different vocalizations.
Bats cannot see color, but they can see at night.
The largest bat has a wingspan of over 6 feet.
Weighing less than a penny, the smallest bat is the bumblebee bat.
Mexican free-tailed bats can fly up to 2 miles at 60 miles per hour.
