Mexican Free-Tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)

The Mexican Free-Tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)are the iconic bat of Central Texas, where around 200 million gather in caves, bridges, and other roosts, including Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge, home to the world’s largest urban bat colony, and Bracken Cave, the largest concentration of mammals on Earth!

Artwork ©Juliet Whitsett | Social: @juliet_whitsett_art      |     Purchase prints:HERE

"The Mexican free-tailed bat is one of the most widespread bats in the Americas. They are the iconic bat of Central Texas, where around 200 million gather in caves, bridges, and other roosts, including Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge, home to the world’s largest urban bat colony, and Bracken Cave, the largest concentration of mammals on Earth!  Their joyfully exuberant flights form the first line of defense for North American agriculture, as they consume hundreds of tons of crop pests nightly, but these social, insect-eating bats play an important role in ecosystems throughout their range. While their pug noses, wrinkled lips, long free-hanging tails, and expressive ears are adorable, the incredible energy packed into their tiny bodies also make them earth’s fastest creature in level flight."

Species information and photo generously provided by: AustinBatRefuge.org

DONATE TO THIS GREAT ORGANIZATION!

RANGE:

RANGE: IUCN Red List http://www.iucnredlist.org

Check out the entire  "The Night Shift: Austin's Native Bats" Series!

Launched in collaboration with Austin Bat Refuge at the Really Small Museum during Bat month (October 2026):

Artwork ©Juliet Whitsett | Social: @juliet_whitsett_art   

Juliet Whitsett is an Austin-based artist and environmental advocate specializing in biodiversity, ecological storytelling, and public engagement. Through research-driven art, she makes scientific knowledge accessible, inspiring awareness and action for the natural world.

5% of the profits of any sale supports Endangered & Threatened Species.

SOURCES:

AUSTIN BAT REFUGE:https://leem16.sg-host.com/ourwork/local-species/mexican-free-tailed-bat-2/

IUCN Red List (September, 2014) http://www.iucnredlist.org