Bats of Ontario: 8 Amazing Species (and How You Can Help Protect Them)
When the Sky Comes Alive
You probably don’t notice them at first, just a flicker at the edge of the twilight sky.
The last birds are roosting, the first stars are out, and for a moment, it feels like the world is holding its breath. Then, movement. Swift. Silent. Alive.
That’s when you realize you’re not alone out here.
Bats are one of Ontario’s quietest neighbors, working the night shift to keep the balance. They swoop, they dive, and in a single hour, one little brown bat can eat a thousand mosquitoes – no bug spray required.
And yet, these incredible creatures are in trouble. Their numbers have dropped sharply in just a few short years, and many of the species we grew up seeing around cottages and campfires are now endangered.
So this month in Wild Wonders, we’re turning our eyes to the night sky: to understand why bats matter, what threatens them, and how small actions (even in our own backyards) can help them recover.
The Magic of Night Flyers
There’s something extraordinary about noticing the unseen.
Bats make the invisible visible; the air alive with sound waves and soft silhouettes, the reminder that wonder doesn’t end when the sun goes down.
Here’s why they’re so important:
- They’re natural pest controllers. A single colony can eat millions of insects each summer.
- They’re indicators of a healthy world. When bats vanish, ecosystems unravel.
- They’re true mammals. Each spring, mothers raise tiny, fur-covered pups in roosts warmed by sunlight.
And here are some fascinating facts about bats:
Do Bats Make Noise?
Yes! Bats use echolocation to navigate and hunt, which means they make a series of high-pitched clicks that bounce off nearby objects. When those sound waves return as echoes, the bats can “see” the world around them — even in total darkness.
Most of these sounds are ultrasonic (too high for humans to hear), but some species also make audible chittering or squeaking noises, especially when they’re socializing, arguing over roost space, or talking to their pups.
A Crisis in the Shadows
In 2006, scientists discovered a mysterious white fuzz on hibernating bats in New York State. By the time it reached Ontario, whole colonies had been wiped out. The cause was White-Nose Syndrome (Pseudogymnoascus destructans), a cold-loving fungus that wakes bats too often during hibernation, burning their energy before spring arrives.
Since then, Ontario’s bat population has dropped by more than 80% in some regions.
But there is hope. Conservation groups, researchers, and citizen scientists are helping colonies rebound through careful monitoring and habitat restoration.
If you’re exploring caves or old mines:
- Clean and disinfect your boots between sites.
- Respect seasonal closures. Even a quiet flashlight beam can disrupt hibernation.
Myth Busting: The Rabies Rumor
Myth: All bats carry rabies.
Truth: Fewer than 1% of wild bats in Ontario test positive for the virus.
Rabies can affect any mammal – raccoons, foxes, even pets – but it’s very rare in bats. Most bats you see fluttering at dusk are healthy and busy hunting mosquitoes, not spreading disease.
That said, it’s always smart to use caution:
- Never touch a bat, even if it looks sick or injured.
- If a bat is found indoors, contact public health or animal control for safe removal.
- Teach kids to admire bats from a distance – observe with binoculars and flashlights.
Bottom Line: Bats aren’t usually dangerous, but they thrive when we keep our distance. 🦇
Bats Among Us
Even in the heart of a city, bats thrive, darting through the sky over trails, flying over rivers, and hunting for moths near streetlights. Bats prefer:
- Tree-lined neighborhoods or near water.
- Quiet roosting spots with warmth and protection from lights.
They avoid areas with heavy light pollution or frequent disturbance.
You might not see them, but they’re there, stitching together nature’s nighttime fabric.
You can help track them by joining programs like:
When we listen for their calls and record their flights, we can help scientists with their bat research.
How Families Can Help
Big change often starts with one small action. You don’t need a cave or a cape to protect bats, just a willingness to notice, learn, and lend a hand.
Here’s how:
- Add a bat house to your yard or community garden. Mount it 10–20 feet up, facing south or southeast, where it will get full morning sun.
- Keep it chemical-free. Pesticides don’t just kill bugs — they harm bats and birds too.
- Leave old trees when safe. Loose bark makes great roosts.
- Respect their rest. Never enter caves or abandoned structures in late fall or winter.
Want to make a real difference for bats in your own backyard? Building a bat house is one of the simplest ways to help. Choose a sunny location at least 4 metres off the ground, away from bright lights and near trees or water. Once installed, it can become a summer roost for mother bats raising their young — a quiet, hopeful sign of recovery right where you live. And no, bat houses don’t need disinfecting, because they’re too warm and bright for the fungus that causes White-Nose Syndrome. A quick check each fall is plenty.
A backyard bat house offers safe summer roosts for Ontario’s night flyers.
Where to See Bats (and How to Spot Them)
You don’t need to travel far to watch bats in action. just head to places with calm water, open sky, and plenty of insects. Parks, wetlands, and river valleys near cities are ideal.
Look for them:
- Over ponds and lakes: they skim the surface to catch insects.
- Along forest edges and trails: bats hunt where trees meet open space.
- Near conservation areas or nature centres that host summer bat walks.
Go out on warm, still evenings between June and August, about 20–30 minutes after sunset. Watch for quick, darting shapes looping and diving through the dusk. That’s your clue you’ve found them!
Meet Ontario’s Eight Bat Species
| Common Name | Notes | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) | Once Ontario’s most common bat; now endangered due to White-Nose Syndrome. Readily uses bat houses, barns, and attics. | Endangered |
| Northern Long-Eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) | Long ears, forest roosting. Prefers tree cavities and loose bark in mature forests; may occasionally use houses near forest edges. | Endangered |
| Eastern Small-Footed Bat (Myotis leibii) | Tiny, cliff dweller. Prefers cliffs, rock crevices, and talus slopes rather than artificial structures. | Special Concern |
| Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) | Larger, hardy species common near cities. Often roosts in buildings and readily adapts to bat houses. | Stable |
| Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus) | Yellow-pink fur. Favors foliage or hollow trees; seldom uses man-made roosts. | Endangered |
| Silver-Haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) | Frosted fur, tree-roosting migratory species; not known to occupy bat houses. | Stable |
| Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) | Large, silver-tipped fur. Migratory, roosts high in tree foliage; completely solitary. | Threatened |
| Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis) | Rust-red fur, roosts in leaves. Also migratory and foliage-roosting, not cavity-roosting. | Common but declining |
Migration Marvels
Not all bats hibernate. Some take to the skies for astonishing seasonal journeys!
Migration isn’t just for birds! Two of Ontario’s bats, the Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) and the Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis), are long-distance migrants.
- Hoary Bats travel up to 3,000 km from Canada to Mexico or even Central America. Their silver-tipped fur helps them blend into tree bark as they rest along the way.
- Eastern Red Bats migrate several hundred to over a thousand kilometres south, often following forested corridors and Great Lakes shorelines.
As autumn nights cool, these tree-roosting species trade Ontario’s forests for warmer southern skies.
How Bat Names Reveal Their Family Tree
Ever wonder why Ontario’s bats have such different Latin names?
All of Ontario’s bats belong to the same family — Vespertilionidae, the “evening bats.” Within that big family, there are smaller branches called genera (singular: genus) that group bats with similar traits or ancestors.
| Genus (Latin Group) | Example Species | What They Share |
|---|---|---|
| Myotis (“mouse-eared bats”) | Little Brown, Northern Long-Eared, Eastern Small-Footed | Small, delicate bats with mouse-like ears; agile insect hunters. |
| Eptesicus | Big Brown Bat | Larger, city-tolerant bats with a strong, steady flight. |
| Perimyotis | Tricolored Bat | A tiny, colourful bat once thought to be a Pipistrelle until DNA showed it was unique. |
| Lasionycteris | Silver-Haired Bat | The only member of its genus, recognized by frosted fur. |
| Lasiurus (“hairy-tailed bats”) | Hoary Bat, Eastern Red Bat | Thick-furred, tree-roosting, long-distance migrants. |
In short: all these bats are cousins in the same big family — they just live different lifestyles, from cave-roosters to leaf-hiders to sky-migrators!
Final Thoughts
Not every creature that inspires wonder comes with feathers or fur you can touch. Some are quiet. Bats work unseen, fluttering through our periphery at dusk and reminding us that the world is still full of mystery.
The next time you’re outside at dusk, invite your kids to lie back on the grass with you. Watch the sky shift from gold to deep blue, and count how many shadows you see. If you’re lucky enough to see the quicksilver flicker of a bat the evening sky, let it remind you that even in the quietest corners of the wild, wonder is waiting.
Discover More Wild Wonders
If your family loved learning about bats, explore more in the Wild Wonders series:
- The Magic of Fireflies: How and Where to Spot Them in Canada
- Against the Current: Ontario’s Wild Salmon Journey
Or join the Trailhead Collection for free printables, backyard activities, and the upcoming Bat Cards set.
Learn More & Get Involved
If your curiosity is sparked and you’d like to take bat awareness further — in your classroom, community group, or family learning — October’s Bat Week is the perfect time to begin.
Bat Week (October 24–31) is an international celebration that highlights the importance of bats and the work being done to protect them. It’s a chance for educators, students, and families to shine a light on these often-overlooked animals and to discover the role they play in healthy ecosystems.
Here in Ontario, a growing network of researchers, conservation groups, and volunteers are helping us understand — and protect — our night flyers.
Educational and Conservation Resources
| Resource | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Bat Week (batweek.org) | International campaign with classroom activities, craft ideas, and educational toolkits for all ages. | batweek.org |
| Toronto Zoo’s Native Bat Conservation Program | Runs Bat Watch and offers citizen-science opportunities to record sightings and acoustic data. | torontozoo.com/bats |
| Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC) | Tracks bat health and White-Nose Syndrome research; offers reporting tools for sick or dead bats. | cwhc-rcsf.ca/bat_health.php |
| Ontario Nature – Protecting Ontario’s Bats | Provides lesson plans, fact sheets, and educator resources for teaching about bats and biodiversity. | ontarionature.org |
| Canadian Wildlife Federation – Help the Bats | Offers downloadable classroom posters, citizen science guides, and family activities. | cwf-fcf.org |
Ideas for Educators
- Build and decorate a demonstration bat house as a class project.
- Host a “Twilight Walk” to observe bats and other nocturnal life in local parks.
- Compare how bats and birds use different senses for navigation and hunting.
- Model echolocation with a simple call-and-response game to explore sound and adaptation.
Bats make an engaging entry point into lessons on adaptation, ecosystems, nocturnal animals, and conservation. Every time students learn about bats, they begin to see the night — and nature — a little differently.
For Older Students
Encourage students to explore how local scientists are helping bats recover:
- Dr. Christina Davy, Trent University — studies bat ecology, genetics, and conservation.
- Dr. Karen Vanderwolf, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative — research on White-Nose Syndrome and roost monitoring.
- Dr. Brock Fenton, Western University (Emeritus) — pioneer in bat echolocation and flight behavior research.
These Ontario-based experts have deepened our understanding of how bats live, adapt, and recover — and their work can inspire the next generation of conservation scientists.
