Biologists review the distinguishing characteristics of a big brown bat. Photo by Toni Bruner, Auburn Museum of Natural History

The Alabama Bat Working Group (ABWG) is a partnership of state, federal, academic, and private partners, led by the Nongame Wildlife Program of Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. The mission of ABWG is to communicate, collaborate, and coordinate efforts to conserve bats in Alabama. Each year members of the ABWG come together to survey the bat community, known as a bat blitz, in one location of the state where information on bats is needed. Bat blitzes allow for a single intensive effort to survey and obtain much information in a short period of time. This year, ABWG held its 19th Annual Bat Blitz June 4th and 5th. Hamilton was the center of operations and teams spread out across Fayette and Marion Counties to attempt to catch bats. This was the first-time bat surveys had been conducted in these two counties.

Biologists use a very fine net, aka “mist net,” to capture bats as they fly in search of their insect prey. Alabama’s 15 species of bats eat billions of insects every evening. This pest control service is worth several billions of dollars annually to the Unites States agricultural economy. Sadly, many species of bats in Alabama are on the decline due to the loss of their forest homes and over-use of pesticides. Some are also susceptible to a new disease called “White-Nose Syndrome,” a fungal infection that has killed over 7 million bats in North America. This year biologists caught 22 bats from 4 species: big brown, red, evening, and tricolored bats. Inventory events such as the Bat Blitz help Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries keep tabs on bat populations.
Special thanks go to the Marion County office of the Alabama Forestry Commission for assisting organization of the 2019 event and many volunteers who generously donate their time to bat conservation in Alabama.
More information on Alabama Bats is available on Outdoor Alabama's website.