Where are bats under Congress Bridge?
From March to October, 1.5 million bats emerge nightly from narrow crevices in the underside of the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. They usually start to emerge from the bridge around 20 minutes before sundown.
What kind of bats live under Congress Bridge?
Yep, those are the Mexican Free-Tailed Bats. A 1980 renovation transformed the Congress Avenue Bridge into an ideal bat cave, soon attracting migrating Mexican free-tailed bats.
How many bats are under Congress Avenue Bridge?
1.5 million bats
Texas hill country Region Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, located in the heart of downtown Austin, hosts the largest urban bat colony in the world, estimated at 1.5 million bats.
Where can I see the bat bridge in Austin?
You can view the bats for free by standing on the bridge and also in a bat viewing area located on the southeast corner of Congress Bridge and Lady Bird Lake. If you’re on a budget, free bat watching is a great experience.
When can I see the bats in Austin?
Typically, late July and early August is considered “peak season” to see a spectacular show. They usually start to emerge from the Congress Ave. bridge around 20 minutes before sundown. Take note that the bats emergence is dependent upon many factors, such as the weather and time of year.
When can you see the bats in Austin?
The Austin bats nightly departure is seasonal. They fly South for the winter like their feathered friends. They usually arrive in early March and leave in late October after the first cold snap hits. As climate change leads to warmer weather, they are slowly arriving earlier and sometimes arrive in late February.
Where do the Austin bats go?
From March until late September, nearly 200,000 people a year gather along the sidewalk of the Congress Avenue Bridge, also known as Austin’s Bat Bridge. They flock to the bridge daily to watch hundreds of thousands of bats fly eastward down Town Lake, which is also the Colorado River and Lady Bird Lake.
Do Austin bats always come out?
The bats do continue to fly out every single night, but some nights they are very difficult to see. By the first week of November, the bats have begun to migrate, for it is starting to get cold and there is low visibility. Every morning, the bats return to the bridge about 30 minutes before sunrise.
What time do the bats come out on Congress Bridge?
The Congress Bridge Bats make their nightly departure 30-60 minutes before sunset. During bat season this can range from 7:30PM – 9:00PM because the sun sets at different times through the year.
Do the Austin bats ever not come out?
While most people think that bat watching in Austin is a year-round event and experience, the truth is that seeing bats in Austin is an experience that only takes place from March to late September each year.
