Species › Mammals › Mexican Long-tongued Bat

Mexican Long-tongued Bat

Choeronycteris mexicana

RareMammal
Illustration of Mexican Long-tongued Bat (Choeronycteris mexicana)
Safety note: May carry rabies — do not approach or handle.

The Mexican Long-tongued Bat is a nectar- and pollen-feeding bat with an elongated snout and a brush-tipped tongue that can extend well beyond the tip of its nose to access agave and cactus flowers. It is a critical pollinator of agave plants in the southwestern United States and Mexico—including the blue agave used to make tequila. The bat migrates seasonally from Mexico into southern Arizona as flowering plants become available.

Habitat
Desert washes, thorn forest, and mountain canyons
Diet
Nectar, pollen, and some insects and fruit
How common
Rare

Best time to see a Mexican Long-tongued Bat

The best time to see a Mexican Long-tongued Bat is June–September, when about 76% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 166 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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