30: Big free-tailed bat

I write to you from Arapahoe, Ute, and Cheyenne land. I am interested in learning about the different animals that live in the place where I was born. I want to mention that biological classification as taught by western science has its roots in racism, sexism, and transphobia – here’s a good explainer about why.

We talked about the Big Brown Bat a while ago, but now it’s time to talk about the Big free-tailed bat (Nyctinomops macrotis). This is a migratory species that moves from Mexico to the southwestern USA, including Colorado. They like to live in rocky, rugged terrain, which I personally find relatable! Apparently their fur is very velvety and glossy to the touch, but I cannot vouch for this as I have never touched one.

They are strictly nocturnal and will journey very long distances – they’ve even been found in British Columbia! They love to eat large moths and other insects. Here’s an interesting fact about them: during the Civil War, Confederate troops collected their guano to use as a base compound in the making of gunpowder. Here’s another: owls are their only predator (aside from humans, of course).

The Big free-tailed bat belongs to a family within the order Chiroptera called the Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. First of all… isn’t Molossidae the name of a breed of ancient Greek sheep herding dog? The predecessor of the mastiff? Well, yes, it is, but why the bats are named that both myself and google have no idea. But the bats are apparently called mastiff bats as well. Very curious. Anyway, Molossidae are characterized by a tail that provides incredible maneuverabiliy when flying, comparable to that of swifts and swallows. As a result, this type of bat is the fastest, able to fly at speeds up to 60 mph.

Tomorrow we return to the world of reptiles!