Species MammalsSilver-haired Bat

Silver-haired Bat

Lasionycteris noctivagans

CommonMammal
Illustration of Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)
Safety note: May carry rabies — do not approach or handle.

The Silver-haired Bat is a medium-sized, tree-roosting bat with blackish fur tipped in white, giving it a frosted appearance. It is a slow, low-flying forager that follows forest streams and edges to hunt insects hovering near the water surface. Silver-haired bats are the bat species most commonly associated with human rabies exposure in North America.

Habitat
Forests, forest streams, and forest edges
Diet
Moths, flies, beetles, and soft-bodied flying insects
How common
Common

Best time to see a Silver-haired Bat

The best time to see a Silver-haired Bat is May–October, when about 65% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 1,715 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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Recent Silver-haired Bat sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

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