Bat

Wisconsin is home to eight species of bats. Of the eight species recorded in Wisconsin, four cave-dwelling bats (Big Brown, Little Brown, Northern Long-Eared and Tricolored) are listed as threatened, and four tree-dwelling bats (Eastern Red, Evening, Hoary and Silver-Haired) are on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) “watch” list. 

All of Wisconsin’s bat species are insectivores, which means they eat insects, are nocturnal and use echolocation to navigate and hunt. Bats are mammals: they have fur, develop inside their mother, give birth to live young and nurse from their mother. Most bat pups are born in late May through June and will begin flying and foraging on their own 3 to 4 weeks after birth. For more information on bats in Wisconsin, please visit the Saving Wisconsin's Bats webpage.

Tip: Never touch or handle a bat with your bare hands. If you see a bat hanging from a tree or wall and think it may be injured, keep your distance and wait until evening. It could be resting and may fly off on its own. If a bat is inside your house, open all windows and doors that lead outside. Keep pets and family away and close off the rest of the house to leave a clear path for the bat to exit to the outdoors. If you find one or more sick and/or dead bats, please report the information to the sick and dead bat reporting form.

Visit the DNR's Bat Frequently Asked Questions webpage for commonly asked questions about bats.