Scientific Name: | Corynorhinus townsendii (Cooper, 1837) | ||||||||||
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English Name: | Townsend's Big-eared Bat | ||||||||||
Classification / Taxonomy | |||||||||||
Scientific Name - Concept Reference: | Baker, R. J., L. C. Bradley, R. D. Bradley, J. W. Dragoo, M. D. Engstrom, R. S. Hoffman, C. A. Jones, F. Reid, D. W. Rice, and C. Jones. 2003a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 2003. Museum of Texas Tech University Occasional Papers 229:1-23. | ||||||||||
Classification Level: | Species | ||||||||||
Taxonomy Comments: | Handley (1950) recognized two subspecies in BC: C. t. townsendii (coastal BC) and C. t. pallescens (BC interior). However, based on a study of mitochondrial DNA, Piaggio and Perkins (2005) classified the BC populations as a single subspecies- C. t. townsendii. | ||||||||||
Species Group: | Vertebrate Animal | ||||||||||
Species Code: | M-COTO | ||||||||||
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Conservation Status / Legal Designation | |||||||||||
Global Status: | G4 (Apr 2016) | ||||||||||
Provincial Status: | S3 (Feb 2022) | ||||||||||
BC List: | Blue | ||||||||||
Provincial FRPA list: | |||||||||||
Provincial Wildlife Act: | |||||||||||
COSEWIC Status: | |||||||||||
SARA Schedule: | |||||||||||
General Status Canada: | 2 - May be at risk (2005) | ||||||||||
Ecology & Life History | |||||||||||
General Description: | |||||||||||
Migration Characteristics: (Global / Provincial) | |||||||||||
Nonmigrant: Local Migrant: Distant Migrant: Within Borders Migrant: |
Y / Y / N / na / |
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Global Migration Comments: | These bats are nonmigratory or move moderate distances between breeding and nonbreeding sites. Nightly foraging bouts may be localized near the day roost or may cover more than 150 km. In Oregon, individuals moved up to 24 km from hibernacula to foraging areas (Dobkin et al. 1995). Both sexes apparently used a series of interim roost sites between emergence from hibernation and the time females entered maternity colonies, with little individual fidelity to these sites. In Marin County, California, foraging individuals traveled up to 10.5 kilometers from primary day roost (site of maternity colony, but the study was conducted in September after nursery period had ended), and they tended to forage in the same areas each night. The mean center of activity for females was 3.2 +/- 0.5 kilometers from the roost, whereas the mean center of activity for males was only 1.3 kilometers from the roost. Between 41 and 88 percent of tagged bats returned to the roost each night; nine alternate roosts were located, all used by single bats (Fellers and Pierson 2002). However, Townsend's big-eared bats (in the west) evidently move longer distances than indicated by initial studies. Genetic data suggest gene flow between C. t. pallescens and C. t. townsendii roosts that are at least 310 km apart (Piaggio et al. 2009). Further, recent studies of maternity colonies indicate that they may occupy multiple roosts in an area where more than one underground feature is available, and radio-tracking from aircraft shows that pregnant individuals can travel over 150 km in a night of foraging (see Piaggio et al. 2009). Individuals may move among different hibernacula in winter (Clark et al. 1997). Subspecies virginianus: In West Virginia, females traveled up to 11.3 km from a maternity cave to foraging areas, but, 80 percent of the utilized foraging habitat was within 6 km of the cave (Stihler 2011b). Individuals may move 32 km between summer roosts and hibernacula (C. Stihler data, cited by USFWS 2008). |
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Habitats: (Type / Subtype / Dependence) |
Anthropogenic / Industrial / Facultative - frequent use
Anthropogenic / Urban/Suburban / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Conifer Forest - Dry / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Conifer Forest - Mesic (average) / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Conifer Forest - Moist/wet / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Deciduous/Broadleaf Forest / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Mixed Forest (deciduous/coniferous mix) / Facultative - frequent use Grassland/Shrub / Grassland / Facultative - occasional use Grassland/Shrub / Shrub - Logged / Facultative - occasional use Grassland/Shrub / Shrub - Natural / Facultative - occasional use Riparian / Riparian Forest / Facultative - occasional use Subterranean / Caves / Obligate |
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Food Habits: |
Invertivore: Adult, Immature
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Global Food Habits Comments: | Diet includes various flying insects often obtained near the foliage of trees and shrubs; the species may feed primarily on moths (Barbour and Davis 1969, Leslie and Clark 2002, Dodd 2006). | ||||||||||
Global Phenology: |
Hibernates/aestivates: Adult, Immature
Nocturnal: Adult, Immature |
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Global Phenology Comments: | Activity usually begins well into the night, late relative to other bats, though activity prior to darkness has been observed in some areas. In late afternoon or evening, prior to emergence, individuals may move closer to the cave entrance. After an initial feeding period, the bats roost and rest during the night, then presumably depart for another feeding bout. Hibernation extends from early fall through early spring. Individuals commonly arouse in winter, changing position within a hibernaculum or moving to a nearby cave or mine. |
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Provincial Phenology: (1st half of month/ 2nd half of month) |
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Colonial Breeder: | Y | ||||||||||
Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): | 11/ / 12 | ||||||||||
Elevation (m) (min / max): |
Global:
Provincial: |
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Distribution | |||||||||||
Endemic: | N | ||||||||||
Authors / Contributors | |||||||||||
Global Information Author: | Hammerson, G. | ||||||||||
Last Updated: | Apr 23, 2014 | ||||||||||
Provincial Information Author: | |||||||||||
Last Updated: | |||||||||||
References and Related Literature | |||||||||||
Arita, H. T. 1993. Conservation biology of the cave bats in Mexico. Journal of Mammalogy 74:693-702. |
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Bagley, F. M. 1984. Recovery plan for the Ozark big-eared bat and the Virginia big-eared bat. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 119 pp. |
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Bagley, R. and J. Jacobs. 1985. Census techniques for endangered big-eared bats proving successful. Endangered Species Tech. Bull. 10(3):5-7. |
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Barbour, R. W., and W. H. Davis. 1969. Bats of America. The University of Kentucky Press, Lexington, Kentucky. 286 pp. |
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Blood, D.A. 1998. Townsend's Big-eared Bat. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. 6pp. |
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Burford, L. S., and M. J. Lacki. 1995. Habitat use by Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus in the Daniel Boone National Forest. American Midland Naturalist 134:340-345. |
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Caire, W., J. D. Tyler, B. P. Glass, and M. A. Mares. 1989. Mammals of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. Oklahoma. 567 pp. |
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Dobkin, D. S., R. D. Gettinger, and M. G. Gerdes. 1995. Springtime movements, roost use, and foraging activity of Townsend's big-eared bat (PLECOTUS TOWNSENDII) in central Oregon. Great Basin Naturalist 55:315-321. |
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Fellers, G. M., and E. D. Pierson. 2002. Habitat use and foraging behavior of Townsend's Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) in coastal California. Journal of Mammalogy 83:167-177. |
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Firman, M.C. 2000. Townsend's Big-Eared Bat (Plecotus townsendii) in the East Kootenays. P. 435 in L.M. Darling, ed. 2000. Proc. Conf. on the Biology and Manage. Species and Habitats at Risk, Kamloops, B.C., 15-19 Feb., 1999. Vol. 1; B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC, and Univ. College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC. 490pp. |
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Frost, D. R., and R. M. Timm. 1992. Phylogeny of plecotine bats (Chiroptera: "Vespertilionidae"): proposal of a logically consistent taxonomy. Am. Mus. Novitates 3034:1-16. |
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Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I & II. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp. |
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Hamilton, W. J., Jr., and J. O. Whitaker, Jr. 1979. Mammals of the eastern United States. Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca, New York. 346 pp. |
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Handley, C. O., Jr. 1959. A revision of American bats of the genera Euderma and Plecotus. Proceedings U.S. National Museum 110:95-246. |
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Holroyd, S.L., R.M.R. Barclay, L.M. Merk, and R.M. Brigham. 1994. A Survey of the Bat Fauna of the Dry Interior of British Columbia. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. Working Rep. WR-63. 80pp. |
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Ingles, L. G. 1965. Mammals of the Pacific States. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. |
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Jones, C. 1977. Plecotus rafinesquii. American Soc. Mamm., Mammalian Species No. 69. 4 pp. |
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Kunz, T.H. and R.A. Martin. 1982. Plecotus townsendii. American Society Mamm., Mammalian Species No. 175. 6 pp. |
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Pearson, O.P., M.R. Koford and A.K. Pearson. 1952. Reproduction of the lump-nosed bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) in California. J. Mamm. 33:273-320. |
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Ports, M. A., and P. V. Bradley. 1996. Habitat affinities of bats from northeastern Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist 56:48-53. |
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Schmidly, D. J. 1991. The bats of Texas. Texas A & M University Press, College Station, Texas. 188 pp. |
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Schwartz, C. W., and E. R. Schwartz. 1981. The wild mammals of Missouri. University of Missouri Press, Columbia. 356 pp. |
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Sherwin, R. E., D. Stricklan, and D. S. Rogers. 2000. Roosting affinities of Townsend's Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) in northern Utah. Journal of Mammalogy 81:939-947. |
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Stevens, V., and S. Lofts. 1988. Species Notes for Mammals. Vol. 1 in A.P. Harcombe, tech. ed. Wildlife Habitat Handbooks for the Southern Interior Ecoprovince. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. Tech. Rep. R-15. 174pp. |
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Stihler, C. W. 2011b. Radiotelemetry studies of female Virginia big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus) in Pendleton County, West Virginia. Pages 139-146 in Loeb et al., editors. Conservation and management of eastern big-eared bats. USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, General Technical Report SRS-145. |
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Thomas, D. W. and S. D. West. 1989. Sampling methods for bats. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station Gen. Technical Report PNW-GTR-243. 20 pp. |
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Tumlison, R., and M. E. Douglas. 1992. Parsimony analysis and the phylogeny of the plecotine bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Journal of Mammalogy 73(2):276-285. |
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van Zyll de Jong, C.G. 1985. Handbook of Canadian Mammals. Vol. II, Bats. National Museum of Natural Sciences, National Museums of Canada, Ottawa, Canada. 212 pp. |
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Vonhof, M.J., and J.C. Gwilliam. 2000. A Summary of Bat Research in the Pend dOreille Valley in Southern British Columbia. Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, BC Hydro, B.C. Minist. Environ, Lands and Parks, B.C. Fish. in partnership with B.C. Minist. For. 116pp. |
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White, D. H., and J. T. Seginak. 1987. Cave gate designs for use in protecting endangered bats. Wildlife Society Bull. 15:445-449. |
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2014. Species Summary: Corynorhinus townsendii. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Nov 14, 2024).