# Townsend's Big-eared Bat (*Corynorhinus townsendii*) Townsend's Big-eared Bat is a small bat with big ears! These bats love to eat insects and can be found in caves and forests. They use their ears to hear very well and find their food in the dark. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Caves and forests ![Townsend's Big-eared Bat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Big-eared-townsend-fledermaus.jpg&width=800) Photo: PD-USGov, exact author unknown, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Big-eared-townsend-fledermaus.jpg) ## Appearance The Townsend's Big-eared Bat has light brown to grayish-brown fur and a small, blunt snout. Its most striking features are its enormous, nearly translucent ears, which can be almost half the length of its body, and two distinct glandular lumps on its muzzle. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Chiroptera - **Family:** Vespertilionidae - **Genus:** Corynorhinus ## Interesting facts - Their ears are so long they can roll them up like a ram's horn while resting! - They can hang upside down for hours and hours without ever getting tired! - This bat gives birth to only one tiny baby, called a pup, each year. - Unlike many bats, they hibernate through winter instead of flying south. ## Special abilities - **Super Sonar Ears:** Townsend's Big-eared Bat has giant ears that help them hear the faintest echoes for precise echolocation, guiding them in total darkness. - **Whisper Hunter:** Townsend's Big-eared Bat can fly almost silently, allowing them to sneak up on unsuspecting insect prey without being detected. - **Moth Magnet:** Townsend's Big-eared Bat has specialized teeth and jaw muscles that help them capture and consume the bodies of soft-bodied moths. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 8.5-11 cm - **Wingspan:** 30-34 cm - **Weight:** 0.007-0.012 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 30 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 50-100 days ## Diet & Feeding They mainly eat moths and other small flying insects they catch in the air or off surfaces! - **Primary Foods:** moths, beetles, lacewings, small flies - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Large Yellow Underwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/large-yellow-underwing) (*Noctua pronuba*) — A common moth species preyed upon. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — An avian predator that hunts bats. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — A mammal that may prey on bats in roosts. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [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. - [Cave Dwelling](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cave-dwelling): Cave dwelling describes organisms specifically adapted to live in underground cave systems, often exhibiting specialized traits due to lack of light. - [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 Bats are usually shy and won't bother you. Just watch them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Townsend's 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 Townsend's Big-eared Bat? 8.5-11 cm ### What is Townsend's Big-eared Bat's wingspan? 30-34 cm ### How much does Townsend's Big-eared Bat weigh? 0.007-0.012 kg ### How long does Townsend's Big-eared Bat live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Townsend's Big-eared Bat move? 30 km/h ### What does Townsend's Big-eared Bat eat? They mainly eat moths and other small flying insects they catch in the air or off surfaces! ### Where is Townsend's Big-eared Bat usually found? Caves and 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: [Townsend's Big-eared Bat: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/townsends-big-eared-bat)