Bats (order Chiroptera / kaɪˈrɒptərə /) are winged mammals, the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their long spread-out digits covered with a thin membrane or patagium. The smallest bat, and one of the smallest extant mammals, is Kitti's hog-nosed bat, which is 29–33 mm (1.1–1.3 in) in length, 150 mm (5.9 in ...
Bats range in size from the Kitti’s hog-nosed bat (or bumblebee) bat, which is the world’s smallest mammal, weighing less than a penny — to the flying fox, which has a wingspan of up to 6 feet. The U.S. and Canada are home to 47 species of bats and additional species are found in the U.S. territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
Learn bat facts, biology, and why bats matter. Bats 101 covers bat species, ecosystems, myths, and the vital role bats play in biodiversity and conservation.
Bat, any member of the only group of mammals capable of flight. This ability, coupled with the ability to navigate at night by using a system of acoustic orientation (echolocation), has made the bats a highly diverse and populous order. More than 1,200 species are currently recognized, and many are enormously abundant.
Bats are one of the largest—and most important—species on the planet. Find out more about their habits, the threats they face, and what you can do to help.
Indeed, the bat was named for the legend rather than the legend originating with the bat. The vampire bat feeds mainly on the blood of cattle, horses, and wild mammals such as deer and peccaries. It seldom bites humans.