Migratory bats
Three species, the Eastern Red Bat, Hoary Bat, and Silver-haired Bat, migrate south for winter. They’re larger and furrier than other BC bats, with fur even on their tails to keep warm on long flights.
There are 15 species of bats in British Columbia, 16 if you count the single record of a Big Free-tailed Bat (Nyctinomops macrotis) that washed up in New Westminster in 1938. Not all of them occur in every part of the province, and there are also accidental records of the Mexican Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) and the Canyon Bat (Parastrellus hesperus) in BC.
Canada is home to 17 bat species, most of which are found in BC. The one exception is the Tri-colored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus), which lives in the eastern part of the country.
How they sort out
Three broad groups.
All of BC’s bats can be divided into three groups, the long-distance migrants, the many look-alike Myotis, and a handful of stand-out species that are easier to tell apart.
Myotis bats
Eight species belong to the genus Myotis, Greek for “mouse-eared.” They’re generally small and look so alike that they’re hard to tell apart at first glance: Little Brown, Yuma, California, Long-eared, Northern, Fringed, Long-legged, and Small-footed Myotis.
Stand-out bats
The last four belong to different genera and don’t fit the other groups. With distinct looks that make them easier to identify, these are the Spotted Bat, Pallid Bat, Townsend’s Big-eared Bat, and Big Brown Bat.
A closer look
Meet all fifteen.
Every bat known to live in British Columbia, from the endangered Little Brown Myotis to the boldly marked Spotted Bat. Tap any card to open its full field-guide entry, drawn from the Royal BC Museum handbook. Photos are placeholders, to be replaced.
Townsend's Big-eared Bat, Corynorhinus townsendii
Photo: J. Scott Altenbach
Townsend's Big-eared Bat
Corynorhinus townsendii
Forearm40–49 mm
RoostCaves, mines
RangeSouthern BC
Call~25 kHz
Little Brown Myotis, Myotis lucifugus
Photo: Vermont Fish & Wildlife
Little Brown Myotis
Myotis lucifugus
Forearm33–40 mm
RoostBuildings, trees
RangeThroughout BC
Call40 kHz
Spotted Bat, Euderma maculatum
Photo: Bruce D. Taubert
Spotted Bat
Euderma maculatum
Forearm37–53 mm
RoostCliff crevices
RangeS. Interior
Call9–16 kHz
Northern Myotis, Myotis septentrionalis
Photo: Bat Conservation International
Northern Myotis
Myotis septentrionalis
Forearm34–38 mm
RoostTrees, under bark
RangeNorthern BC
Call40 kHz
Hoary Bat, Lasiurus cinereus
Photo: Paul Cryan
Hoary Bat
Lasiurus cinereus
Forearm50–57 mm
RoostTree foliage
RangeMost of BC
Call~20 kHz
Fringed Myotis, Myotis thysanodes
Image © Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, www.batcon.org
Fringed Myotis
Myotis thysanodes
Forearm38–45 mm
RoostRock, buildings
RangeS. Interior
Call20–25 kHz
Silver-haired Bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans
Photo: Jose Martinez-Fonseca, NAU
Silver-haired Bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
Forearm38–45 mm
RoostUnder tree bark
RangeForested BC
Call25–30 kHz
California Myotis, Myotis californicus
Image © Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, www.batcon.org
California Myotis
Myotis californicus
Forearm30–36 mm
RoostTree cavities, bark
RangeSouthern BC
Call45–50 kHz
Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus fuscus
Photo: John MacGregor, Land Between the Lakes KY/TN · Public domain
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
Forearm41–52 mm
RoostBuildings, attics
RangeThroughout BC
Call25–30 kHz
Yuma Myotis, Myotis yumanensis
Image © Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, www.batcon.org
Yuma Myotis
Myotis yumanensis
Forearm31–38 mm
RoostBuildings near water
RangeSouthern BC
Call45–50 kHz
Long-eared Myotis, Myotis evotis
Image © Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, www.batcon.org
Long-eared Myotis
Myotis evotis
Forearm34–41 mm
RoostTree bark, stumps
RangeAcross BC
Call30–35 kHz
Long-legged Myotis, Myotis volans
Image © Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, www.batcon.org
Long-legged Myotis
Myotis volans
Forearm34–44 mm
RoostBuildings, snags
RangeMost of BC
Call40 kHz
Western Small-footed Myotis, Myotis ciliolabrum
Photo: Jason Headley · fieldguide.mt.gov · CC BY-NC 4.0
Western Small-footed Myotis
Myotis ciliolabrum
Forearm29–35 mm
RoostCliffs, rock crevices
RangeS. Interior
Call40 kHz
Pallid Bat, Antrozous pallidus
Image © Merlin D. Tuttle
Pallid Bat
Antrozous pallidus
Forearm50–58 mm
RoostRock crevices, cliffs
RangeS. Okanagan
Call~25 kHz
Eastern Red Bat, Lasiurus borealis
Image © Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International
Eastern Red Bat
Lasiurus borealis
Forearm36–43 mm
RoostTree foliage
RangeRare migrant
Call~35 kHz
Every card carries two listings — national and provincial. What these listings mean ↓ Tap the on a photo for its credit. Species information from Nagorsen & Brigham, Bats of British Columbia (Royal BC Museum).
Reading the badges
What these listings mean.
Every bat is assessed twice — once nationally and once by the Province — and the two can differ. A bat can be Endangered in Canada while sitting on B.C.’s Blue list, so both appear on its card.
Nationally — who does the assessing
Species at Risk Act (SARA)
Canada’s federal species-at-risk law. A species added to Schedule 1 of the Act receives legal protection.
Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)
The independent body that assesses which wild species are at risk in Canada. A COSEWIC assessment carries no legal protection on its own — the species must first be added to Schedule 1 of SARA.
Nationally — what each rank means
Endangered
Facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
Eastern Red Bat, Hoary Bat, Little Brown Myotis, Northern Myotis, Silver-haired Bat
Threatened
Likely to become endangered if the factors limiting the species are not reversed.
Pallid Bat
Special concern
May become threatened or endangered because of a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats.
Spotted Bat
Data deficient
Too little information exists to assess the species’ risk of extinction, so no status has been assigned.
Fringed Myotis
Not listed
Not currently assessed as being at risk nationally.
Big Brown Bat, California Myotis, Long-eared Myotis, Long-legged Myotis, Townsend's Big-eared Bat, Western Small-footed Myotis, Yuma Myotis
In British Columbia — the B.C. list status
The B.C. Conservation Data Centre assigns every native species to a list based on its provincial conservation status.
Red-listed
Any native species that is Extirpated, Endangered or Threatened in British Columbia, or a candidate for that status. Extirpated species no longer exist in the wild in B.C. but do occur elsewhere. Not every Red-listed species will go on to be formally designated — the list flags them as at risk and requiring investigation.
Pallid Bat
Blue-listed
Any native species considered to be of Special Concern in British Columbia. These species have characteristics that make them particularly sensitive or vulnerable to human activities or natural events. They are at risk, but are not Extirpated, Endangered or Threatened.
Fringed Myotis, Hoary Bat, Little Brown Myotis, Northern Myotis, Spotted Bat, Townsend's Big-eared Bat, Western Small-footed Myotis, Yuma Myotis
Yellow-listed
Species that are apparently secure and not at risk of extinction. A Yellow-listed species may still have Red- or Blue-listed subspecies.
Big Brown Bat, California Myotis, Long-eared Myotis, Long-legged Myotis, Silver-haired Bat
Not listed
No provincial list status has been assigned. In B.C. this applies to species that occur only as rare or accidental visitors, so a provincial conservation status rank does not apply.
Eastern Red Bat
Where they live
What lives in my region?
British Columbia’s diverse landscapes make it one of the most biodiverse provinces in Canada. Bats range as far north as the Yukon border and west along the coast and islands.
The southern interior (Thompson, Okanagan, and Cariboo) supports the highest diversity of bats. Choose your region to see exactly which species live there:
Vancouver IslandSouth Vancouver Island
Vancouver IslandMid Vancouver Island
Vancouver IslandNorth Vancouver Island
Gulf IslandsSalt Spring Island
Gulf IslandsGaliano & Saturna Islands
Gulf IslandsPender Island
Gulf IslandsMayne Island
Gulf IslandsGabriola Island
Gulf IslandsThetis Island
Gulf IslandsDenman & Hornby Islands
Coast & MainlandSunshine Coast
Coast & MainlandMetro Vancouver & Sea to Sky
Coast & MainlandFraser Valley
InteriorThompson
InteriorShuswap
InteriorOkanagan
InteriorKootenays
InteriorLillooet
InteriorCariboo
NorthOmineca
NorthPeace
NorthSkeena
Many roosts in BC are still undiscovered, and our picture keeps evolving as new roosts are reported. If you find summer roosts or overwintering bats, please share your sightings. It helps us learn where each species lives.
Conservation status
Which bats are at risk?
All animals in BC, including bats, are protected from harm, illegal hunting, trafficking, keeping, and killing under the BC Wildlife Act. Even so, over half of BC’s 15 bat species are at risk and could be lost without action.
Bats are ranked on two kinds of lists: provincial (BC) and federal (Canada). Provincially, one bat carries the greatest risk of being lost, eight are of special concern, five are at least risk, and one is not listed.
Provincial status, BC
Red-listed1
Greatest risk of being lost.
Blue-listed8
Special concern.
Yellow-listed5
Least risk.
Not listed1
No provincial listing.
Federal status, Canada
Two species are endangered under the federal Species at Risk Act, facing imminent extirpation or extinction; one is threatened, and one is of special concern. The Hoary, Silver-haired, and Eastern Red bats are listed as endangered by COSEWIC and are under review to be added to SARA.
Endangered5
Facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
Threatened1
Likely to become endangered.
Special concern1
May become threatened.
Not listed8
No federal listing.
1 Listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).
2 Listed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).
Learn more
Featured resources about bats.
Go deeper on BC’s bats, their biology, diversity, and how to protect them.