Bats (order Chiroptera / kaɪˈrɒptərə /) are winged mammals; the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their long spread-out digits covered with a thin membrane or patagium.
Bat, any member of the only group of mammals capable of flight. This ability, coupled with the ability to navigate at night by using a system of acoustic orientation (echolocation), has made the bats a highly diverse and populous order.
Bats range in size from the Kitti’s hog-nosed bat (or bumblebee) bat, which is the world’s smallest mammal, weighing less than a penny — to the flying fox, which has a wingspan of up to 6 feet.
Bats have been on Earth for more than 50 million years. With more than 1,500 species, they are the second largest order of mammals, and are widely dispersed across six continents.
What is a bat - is it a mammal, rodent, or bird? Bat types, what they look like, where and how long they live, their diet, endangered status, interesting facts, and more.
With an astonishing 1,376 different species (and counting), bats make up 20% of all known mammals. They live on nearly every corner of the globe and occupy several food niches. The diversity of bat species is amazing.
There are 47 species of bats living in the United States and 1300 species of bats in total. Bats live in many types of environments except in extremely cold places (polar regions) and extremely hot ones (deserts). Bats are important pollinators and help to control the population of insects.
Bats are the only mammals that can fly. Instead of arms or hands, they have wings. The wings have a bone structure similar to the human hand. Between the bones are flaps of skin. Bats are very light weight to make it easier for them to fly.