Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) © IDFG - Bruce Haak 2006.

Bats on the Move

Rita Dixon - Zoology Program Leader
Idaho Conservation Data Center
Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Spring and fall migrations typically are associated with waves of songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl, but numerous studies of bats show that some populations make seasonal migrations over hundreds of miles.

Occasionally bats get lost or disoriented. Anyone who finds a bat should not handle it with bare hands and should not try to rehabilitate it. To do so could jeopardize the life of the bat as well as their own. Help is available. Below are guidelines to rescue a bat, and contact information for professional help.

In Idaho, all 14 bat species migrate either short distances of up to about 60 miles, seasonally between breeding and hibernating roost sites, such as many Myotis species, or, in the case of the hoary bat and silver-haired bat, up to about 600 miles to spend the winter in the southern third of the United States, including California, Arizona or farther south.

Bats leave their territory for one of two reasons. One is a seasonal lack of food. The second is lack of appropriate winter living quarters.

Migration is risky and time- and energy-intensive. On the move, bats occupy many habitats controlled by a wide range of governments, communities and landowners. Because migration involves large numbers moving across extensive landscapes, it can have important population and community consequences.

Evidence suggests that bats use visual landmarks to aid them in homing. Experience and practice seem to improve homing ability because young bats don’t return to their home roosts as often as adults. Because of the energy demands of migration, and the inexperience of young bats, individuals can become dehydrated, weak, or disoriented and end up grounded or in unusual places.

Bats are on the move right now in Idaho and occasionally find themselves in trouble.

The first concern many people have about bats is rabies. Like most mammals, bats can contract rabies. But less than half of one percent of bats actually contract the disease. Nor do sick bats seek to attack people. They generally look for a secluded spot to die quietly.

People don’t get rabies from just seeing a bat in an attic, in a cave or at a distance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nor do people get rabies from touching bat guano, blood, or urine or from touching a bat on its fur. But anyone who is bitten by a bat, or gets saliva in their eyes, nose or mouth, should seek medical attention immediately. When possible, the bat should be captured and sent to a laboratory for testing. Call the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories at 208-334-2235.

In addition, bats found in a room with a person who cannot reliably rule out physical contact – for example a sleeping person, a child, a mentally disabled person or an intoxicated person – need to be tested for rabies. If contact has occurred or is suspected call a physician or local health department immediately.

If no contact has occurred, follow the directions below to rescue a bat.

A Bat Found Indoors
A bat found indoors is most likely a crevice-dwelling species. The color of crevice-dwelling bats varies but is usually gray or brown. These are often lost young or migrating bats. Often they will find their way out through an open window after dark, if the room is closed off from the rest of the house. Or if the bat can be moved without touching or injuring it, proceed to step one. Otherwise, proceed to step five.

Step 1. Wait until the animal is motionless. A flying bat is almost impossible to catch, and the chance of injury is greater. Flying bats also are more likely to panic and bite. Wait until the bat lands, then proceed to step 2.

Step 2. Contain the bat. Quietly approach the bat, and wearing thick gloves or using a thick soft cloth, such as a T-shirt, gather up the bat, holding it securely but not tightly and put it in a box with a lid. Or simply put a box, can or similar object over the bat where it has landed. Then gently slide a piece of cardboard between the box and the surface the bat is on. With the cardboard in place, gently turn the container right side up.

If the bat is captured during the day, proceed to step 5. But don’t put the bat in a bird cage or container with small openings. Bats can easily squeeze through a quarter- by half-inch crack. If the bat is captured at night, proceed to step 3.

Step 3. Release the bat outdoors. Take along a flashlight and a thick soft cloth or gloves in case the bat has problems flying away. From an elevated area, such as a deck or ladder, lift the box over your head and tilt it to the side so the bat can fly out. The bat will not be able to fly out of a container in a vertical position. Proceed to step 4. Do not release the bat during the day or during cold or bad weather. Instead, proceed to step 5.

Step 4. Watch it leave. Use the flashlight to watch the bat fly away. If the bat doesn’t fly, or seems unable to, it may be injured or sick. It may be a disoriented juvenile, or it may simply be dehydrated or starved from being trapped indoors. If this is the case, use the thick soft cloth or gloves to gather up the bat. It is not safe to attempt care for the bat. It should be treated by trained, vaccinated individuals. Furthermore, bats in this condition may need injections of electrolytes in addition to specialized food and caging.

Keep the bat in the closed container in a safe place and proceed to step 5.

Step 5. Call a local wildlife rehabilitator. In the Boise area, call Animals in Distress Association at 208-367-1026. To find a local wildlife rehabilitator or bat worker, see http://www.batworld.org and click on Local Rescue, or call Bat World Sanctuary at 940-325-3404 for help in finding a Bat World rescue center or a bat rehabilitator.

A Bat Found Outdoors
Foliage-roosting bats have beautiful fur in shades of reds, yellows and tans – like dried leaves, or they have multi-colored fur frosted with white. These bats are frequently found on the ground during migration, in the early summer when mothers are moving their young, or when they become grounded following storms. The only foliage-roosting bat in Idaho is the hoary bat, which is large with distinctive mixed dark brownish and grayish fur frosted with white. Another species commonly found outside is the silver-haired bat, a smaller tree-roosting bat with dark brown to black fur with silvery-white tips. When humans approach, these bats occasionally panic and defend themselves by spreading their wings in mock-attack and making loud hissing or clicking noises.

If the bat is a light tan, gray, or brown, it is probably a crevice-dwelling species. Crevice-dwelling bats found on the ground out of doors need to be examined and cared for by a wildlife rehabilitator. Put the bat into a container using the method described above and proceed to step five.

Otherwise, to rescue a foliage- or tree-roosting bat, follow the steps below. Or simply proceed to step five.

Step 1. Make sure the bat is safe from predators. Protect the bat from domestic pets, ants or other predators, such as crows or magpies. If the bat remains quiet and still, proceed to step two. If the bat panics, proceed to step 5.

Step 2. Do not use your hands. Instead, gently touch a small branch, two or three feet in length, to the bat’s feet. This usually initiates a grab reflex, and the bat will grip the branch with its toes. Carefully lift the branch to inspect the bat – or mother bat with babies during the summer – for any injuries. If the infants are clinging to the mother and there are no apparent injuries, proceed with step 3. If injuries are detected, proceed to step 5.

Step 3. Slowly move the bat into a nearby tree. A sudden move may cause a mother bat to fly off and abandon her young. From a ladder, gently secure the branch in a spot where foliage will conceal the bats. The spot should be at least six feet from the ground, with a clearing below to enable the bats to take flight. Do not put the bats on the trunk of a tree where they will be vulnerable to predators. Proceed to step 4.

Step 4. Monitor the area. Check the bat the following morning. If it hasn’t moved overnight it may be injured or sick. If the mother bat is gone but her babies remain, they may have been abandoned. Proceed to step 5.

Step 5. Call a local wildlife rehabilitator for help.

To learn more about bats or programs to help bats, please visit the Bat Conservation International Website at http://www.batcon.org/ or contact the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Recommended guidelines to rescue a bat can be found on the Bat World Sanctuary Website at: http://www.batworld.org.

Call a local wildlife rehabilitator for help. In the Boise area, call Animals in Distress Association at 208-367-1026. To find a local wildlife rehabilitator or bat worker, please see http://www.batworld.org and click on Local Rescue. Or call Bat World Sanctuary at 940-325-3404 to find a Bat World rescue center or a bat rehabilitator.