# Brown Big-eared Bat (*Plecotus auritus*) The Brown Big-eared Bat is a small bat with big ears! They use their ears to hear tiny sounds and find food like insects. These bats are very quiet and love to hang out in dark places. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Brown Big-eared Bat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Plecotus_auritus_2013-2_%28cropped%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Fourrure from France, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plecotus_auritus_2013-2_%28cropped%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Brown Big-eared Bat has strikingly large, translucent brown ears that are nearly as long as its body. Its fur is soft and light brown on its back, fading to a paler greyish-brown underneath. This bat is easily recognized by these enormous ears and a small, pug-like nose. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Chiroptera - **Family:** Vespertilionidae - **Genus:** Plecotus ## Interesting facts - Brown Big-eared Bats can hibernate for months, saving energy by lowering body temperature! - Despite their size, some Brown Big-eared Bats have lived for over 30 years! - Their wing membranes are so thin you can almost see through them! - They tuck their huge ears under a flap when resting, keeping them safe! ## Special abilities - **Ultrasonic Radar:** Brown Big-eared Bats 'see' in the dark using echolocation, sending high-pitched calls and listening to the echoes. - **Whisper Listener:** This bat has incredibly large ears that help it hear the quietest rustles of insects, even without echolocation. - **Stealthy Soarer:** Brown Big-eared Bats have soft, velvety wings that allow them to fly almost silently, surprising their insect prey. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 4.2-5.3 cm - **Wingspan:** 23-28.5 cm - **Weight:** 0.005-0.012 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-30 years - **Speed:** 30 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 40-60 days ## Diet & Feeding This bat is an insect-eating expert, gobbling up moths and spiders in the dark! - **Age differences:** Pups drink mother's milk, then switch to catching insects as they grow. - **Primary Foods:** moths, earwigs, beetles, spiders - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Tawny Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tawny-owl) (*Strix aluco*) — Owls are common predators of bats in woodlands. - **Hunts:** Large Yellow Underwing Moth (*Noctua pronuba*) — A favorite meal, caught in flight or gleaned from leaves. - **Shelter:** [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) — Roosts in tree hollows and cracks in old oak trees. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Cats occasionally prey on bats, especially near human habitats. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Echolocation](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/echolocation): Echolocation is a biological sonar used by animals to navigate, hunt, and communicate by emitting sound waves and interpreting the echoes. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a bat, watch quietly from a distance. They are shy and like to be left alone. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Brown Big-eared Bat? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Brown Big-eared Bat? 4.2-5.3 cm ### What is Brown Big-eared Bat's wingspan? 23-28.5 cm ### How much does Brown Big-eared Bat weigh? 0.005-0.012 kg ### How long does Brown Big-eared Bat live? 5-30 years ### How fast can Brown Big-eared Bat move? 30 km/h ### What does Brown Big-eared Bat eat? This bat is an insect-eating expert, gobbling up moths and spiders in the dark! ### Where is Brown Big-eared Bat usually found? Forests ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Brown Big-eared Bat: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-big-eared-bat)