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southeastern bat

southeastern bat (Myotis austroriparius) [state endangered]
Photo © Michael Durham

Features and Behaviors

FEATURES
The medium-sized southeastern bat has a short forearm. It has dull, gray-brown body fur with white belly fur. The hair on the foot extends past the tip of the toes.

BEHAVIORS
The southeastern bat may be found in the southern tip of Illinois. It lives in caves, mines, hollow trees or buildings that are near water. The southeastern bat eats insects. It flies low to the ground or water when hunting for food. Females gather in maternity colonies in the summer, but no colonies have been found in Illinois. Winter colonies include small clusters of both males and females. These bats hibernate in Illinois. Although little information is available for Illinois, maternity colonies in the southern states form in March and April. Two young are born per female during the period from late April through June. The young are left on their own when the female forages. Young are capable of flight about five weeks after birth.

Illinois Range

Taxonomy

​Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae

Illinois Status: state endangered, native

The endangered status of the southeastern bat in Illinois is mainly due to the degradation, disturbance or loss of cave, wetland and mine habitats.