Mexican Free-tailed Bat
Tadarida brasiliensis
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderChiroptera (Bats)
- FamilyMolossidae (Free-tailed Bats)
- GenusTadarida
- SpeciesTadarida brasiliensis (Mexican Free-tailed Bat)
About the Mexican Free-tailed Bat
The Mexican free-tailed bat or Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) is a medium-sized bat native to North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean, so named because its tail can be almost half its total length and is not attached to its uropatagium. It has been claimed to have the fastest horizontal speed of any animal, reaching level flight speed of up to 99 mph (160 km/h). It also flies the highest among bats, at altitudes around 3,300 m (10,800 ft).
It is regarded as one of the most abundant mammals in North America. Its proclivity towards roosting in huge numbers at relatively few locations makes it vulnerable to habitat destruction in spite of its abundance. For instance, up to 1.5 million bats reside under just one bridge in Austin. The Texas Legislature recognized the Mexican free-tailed bat as the "Official Flying Mammal" of the State of Texas in 1995.
The Mexican free-tailed bat was described as a new species in 1824 by French zoologist Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. Geoffroy placed it in the now-defunct genus Nyctinomus with a binomial name of Nyctinomus brasiliensis.
The holotype had been collected in Brazil. Molecular sequence data indicate... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Mexican Free-tailed Bat in Death Valley National Park
LIVEiNaturalist
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 5 | Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 6 | Podocarpus National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 7 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 9 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Mexican Free-tailed Bat in Death Valley National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Mexican Free-tailed Bat sighting in Death Valley National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Mexican Free-tailed Bat in Death Valley National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Mexican Free-tailed Bat in Death Valley National Park in our monthly data.