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I am really glad you're interested in helping our local bats here in New York City! If the idea of spending a bit of your evening outdoors watching bats in the sky sounds fun, then I cordially invite you to help with my research. It's simple, all you need to do is go looking for bats in NYC and, using the form at the bottom of the page, let me know if you see any. This page will give you all my best bat spotting advice. If group outings are more your thing, check this page for guided bat walks coming up.
Most people (even your best bird watching friends) rarely think about bats, so the biggest thing you can do is just be a bat fan and spread the word about these amazing animals. The first section of this page "Get to Know Your Local Bats" will introduce you to our five local species and give you plenty of fun facts to share.
Get to Know Your Local Bats
Get to Know Your Local Bats
New York City hosts five different bat species, each of which is very unique and well worth the time it takes to get acquainted. I've even made it easy for you with this short slide deck. It offers a quick intro (and some cute photos) of our five local bats.
Go Bat Spotting!
Go Bat Spotting!
There are many great places in the city to enjoy a summer evening watching bats. Though I offer guided bat walks throughout the summer (more info here), you can easily spot bats on your own with just a little bit of information. This step-by-step guide shares all my best bat finding tips. Good luck and, if you spot some bats, consider helping with my research and filling out a sighting report!
What to bring?
What to bring?
Bug spray - Where you find bats, you will inevitably also finding biting insects.
Head lamp/flash light - For navigating to and from your bat watching spot (best to keep it turned off while looking for bats)
Water - Bats care about hydration, so should you <3
Sonar recording device - Optional (and sort of expensive) smartphone device that can identiy bats for you as they pass. I recommend the Wildlife Acoustics EchoMeter Touch.
Step 1 - When to Look for Bats
Step 1 - When to Look for Bats
Bats are active in NYC from spring to fall with activity peaking in the summer when temperatures remain above 50 degrees (F) through the night. "Bat Season" is generally considered to be April 15 - August 15 (though bats have been spotted in NYC as early as January and as late as November).
Weather: Bat spotting is best on a night with clear, warm weather and low winds
Timing: Bats will be most active in the first two hours of sunset
Step 2 - Where to Look for Bats
Step 2 - Where to Look for Bats
There are two major habitat features to look for in a good bat watching spot:
small or medium sized bodies of water
enough large trees to make a decent tree canopy
The dog beach in Prospect Park (pictured above, SW entrance of the park near baseball fields) is an excellent example of an A+ bat watching spot.
Step 3 - How to Tell Bats from Birds
Step 3 - How to Tell Bats from Birds
This may sound silly but it can be easier than you think to confuse a bat and bird in the dark, especially for birds like swallows that have similar hunting styles to bats. If you find yourself in doubt, here are some simple pointers
Bats:
Only fly in a "zig zag" pattern
Constantly flap their wings
Birds:
Mostly fly in smooth, straight lines
Occasionally hold wings still to soar
Submit a Bat Sighting Report
Submit a Bat Sighting Report
If you've spotted a bat anywhere in NYC, I would love to hear all about it. This information is very valuable for better understanding the challenges our local bats face in navigating the complex urban landscape of the city. To share your bat sightings, I've created a simple Google Form that walks you through a few questions about your sighting (where, when, what was the bat doing, the usual stuff). It only takes a few minutes to fill out. The form is embedded below, but you can also access it here.
If you can safely take a photo of the bat, that is also great! Please send these to:
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