Creature Feature: Townsend's Big-eared Bat

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(Corynorhinus townsendii)

WHAT: Medium-sized bat with broad wings and large, rabbit-like ears. Listed as a sensitive species in Oregon.

Size: Up to 4.5 inches long and wingspans of up to 12.6 inches.

Description: Two large, fleshy glands on either side of the muzzle. The snout is short with elongated nostril slits. Color varies from population to population, but all tend to be some hue of brown or gray.

DIET: Feed almost exclusively on moths, but will also eat beetles, flies and other small insects.

Habits: Colonies normally choose cold places for roosting, including caves and mines. Abandoned buildings are usually used only during the summer. Very sensitive to intrusion. Colonies have been known to abandon caves after a single human visit.

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