The name of the Mexican Freetail Bat was derived from its unique tail. Their tails are considerably long compared to the other types of bats. It almost has the same length as the body of the bat. The length of the tail also extends beyond the tail membrane of the bat. This is a medium-sized creature that has a gray, brown, or reddish fur. Their ears are broad and dark and their lips are wrinkled. They have narrow and long wings.

Habitat of the Mexican Freetail Bats

Just like the name of this bat, you will mostly found it in Mexico. Nevertheless, you can also find it in different parts of the US. In fact, there are large number of populations of these Aurora bats that are occupying the Central, North, and Southern part of the US. They can also survive in different types of habitat such as desert, the agricultural plains, and forest. The primary requirement when they are looking for their den is a place to roost. Usually, this will be caves that have an ample supply of insects.

Diet

Most bats such as the Mexican freetail bats are insectivores. They will devour large amount of insects that are destroying the Colorado crops such as moths and earworm. A colony of the bats that contains a million members has the capacity to eat billions of insects annually. Even a smaller colony of bats will have a substantial impact on the population of insects. This will make them an asset to the agricultural communities.

Life Cycle

One Mexican Freetail Bat will be born per year. They will be born during the summer season. The young ones will roost in a separate place apart from their mother. The babies will roost in the highest area of the cave. In this area, the temperature is higher that provides the baby bat with the warmth and comfort that their body needs. This is also crucial for the survival and growth of the baby bats. When the mother belongs to a large colony, she will have to find her own babies by listening to their unique calls and their smells. When in the wild, the average lifespan of this creature may extend up to 18 years. 

Behavior

The Mexican Freetail Bats will hang on the ceiling of their roosting ground. They will initially drop into an open Aurora space before taking flight. After dusk, they will emerge out of the cave in large group. The bats that are escaping the cave will precede the other bats that will create a huge swarm. When they are returning to their roosting place, they will approach it at an amazing speed. They will drop from the high altitude and will immediately brake when they are at the entrance of their roosting ground. 

There is a huge disparity between the ratio of the Colorado female and male population of the Mexican Freetail bats. Normally, there are more males than the female ones. When hunting for insects, the bat can travel an average of 50 miles away from their roosting place.