Hoary Bat

Hoary bat (Latin: Lasiurus cinereus) is a species of bats from the family of smooth-nosed bats (Vespertilionidae), widespread in South and North America.

This is a large sized bat with a body length from 71 to 90 mm, weight 12–26 g.

The head is short, the nostrils are often far apart. The ears are thick, short, wide, rounded. The tail is long. The color of the back varies from dark brown, reddish brown to gray, dotted with silver-white “hoarfrost”, creating the appearance of a matte or gray color. The membranes are long, wide, thick, they fill the entire space between the legs and are densely covered with hair in half or more of their length.

Hoary bat hunts for flying insects, butterflies. This species flies quickly and often moves in the upper tiers of the forest, 10 meters above the ground. Activity begins 1-2 hours after sunset. These bats lead a solitary lifestyle but often form groups when hunting for insects. They sleep during the day at an altitude of 3 to 5 meters above the ground, usually in the foliage of trees.

The species is common in Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador (Galapagos Islands), Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, USA, Uruguay, Venezuela.