Townsend's Big-eared Bat (Plecotus townsendii) 



Description: Easily distinguished from other bats in the region. A medium-sized (8-12 g) bat 

 with very long (30-39 mm) ears and two prominent masses on the lateral surface of the 

 snout between the eyes. Wings and tail membranes are hairless, dorsal pelage is 

 brownish wuh individual hairs grayish at the base and cinnamon to brownish at the tip. 



Distribution: In western North America, from southwestern Canada to southern Mexico east 

 to western Kansas. Oklahoma, and the Northern Great Plains; also in a narrow band in 

 northern Arkansas east to West Virginia. 



Habitat and Habits: Usually found associated with desert shrublands, pinyon-juniper 

 woodlands, and dry coniferous forests. A cave dweller for both day roosts and 

 hibernacula; also frequently found in abandoned mines in central and eastern Montana 

 (Hoffmann et al. 1969, Swenson 1972, Swenson and Shanks 1979). A colony was 

 found in late September in an abandoned farm house in Richland County, Montana 

 i. Swenson and Shanks 1979). Females form maternity colonies in warmer parts of 

 caves and mines. Mating occurs in fall and winter. Disperses from large caves in late 

 spring in the Black Hills (Turner 1974) to form maternity colonies in smaller caves and 

 buildings; pregnant and lactating females have been collected in the Black Hills in 

 July. Emerges well after dark and is a slow and agile flyer. Specimens have been 

 collected in June and July from North Cave Hills and the Long Pines (Andersen and 

 Jones 1971. Lampe et al. 1974). There is no current evidence of breeding on the Sioux 

 District. Visher (1914) found this species in Ludlow Cave, North Cave Hills in 

 September 1912. and one individual was collected there in June 1961. In 1994. this 

 species was detected in the Slim Buttes on 13 June at Road Draw Spring #1 and on 14 

 June at Reva Gap. on 14 June in the Ekalaka Hills, and on 15 June in the SE part of 

 the Long Pines (Appendix B3). 



Status: Uncommon or rare in this part of the species range (Lampe et al. 1974), although a 

 year-round resident in fair numbers in the Black Hills to the south (Turner 1974). 

 Possibly a permanent resident in small numbers on the Sioux District. This species has 

 been recorded from Ekalaka Hills, the Long Pines, North Cave Hills, and Slim Buttes 

 (Appendix B4). Townsend's Big-eared Bat is a U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 candidate (C2) species for federal listing, and has U. S. Forest Service Sensitive status. 



Natural Heritage Program rank: G4; S2 in Montana, S2S3 in South Dakota. 



