Species Present on the Kootenai National Forest 

 California Myotis (Myotis californiciis) 



Description: Fur full and long, but not glossy. Body variably light tan to nearly black. Hind foot 

 small (< 8.5 mm), but ears relatively long (extending beyond the tip of the nose when 

 pressed forward). Naked part of the snout is about as long as the width of the nostrils 

 when viewed from above. Calcar is keeled. 



Distribution: Found from southeastern Alaska south to southern Mexico in western North 

 America. 



Habitat and Habits: This species is a bat of western lowlands (usually < 1800 m elevation), often 

 found associated with rock-walled canyons, from arid to humid woodlands and forests. 

 Small numbers have been reported hibernating in mines and caves in Oregon, 

 Washington (Perkins et al. 1990) and British Columbia (Nagorsen et al. 1993). Summer 

 roost sites include buildings, rock crevices, hollow trees, and spaces under loose bark. 

 Females form small maternity colonies, sometimes with M. lucifugus (Hof&nann and 

 Pattie 1968), with young bom in July. Roemer (1994) captured lactating females on 16 

 July on the Cabinet District and 27 August on the Fisher River District; this species was 

 netted 28 August, 15 and 19 September 1995. This species emerges from roosts at sunset 

 to feed imtil dawn. Flight is slow, erratic, and usually low near vegetation or water. 



Status: Hofi&nann and Pattie (1968) and Hoffrnann et al. (1969) indicate that the distribution of 

 this bat in Montana is restricted to valleys west of the Continental Divide; specimens are 

 available from Flathead (Kalispell) and Ravalli Counties, and three were collected from 

 Lincoln County in 1995. Eighteen of 1 13 bats captured by Roemer (1994) on the 

 Kootenai National Forest were this species; seven were captured in 1995. It has been 

 recorded from all but the Fortine and Three Rivers Districts (Appendix 4). While not 

 noted during the 1 994 survey, this species may have been present at sites where Myotis 

 sp. was detected ( most species of Myotis are not easily distinguishable with bat 

 detectors). Present in the Idaho panhandle (Groves and Marks 1985), but probably 

 winters outside of the region. The California myotis is not listed by any federal agency. 



Natural Heritage Program rank: G5; S4. 



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