Bats used to fill the skies in Nova Scotia, but over the winters of 2011-2013 their populations dropped by 95%. This was due to the newly introduced fungal disease white-nose syndrome that affects bats as they hibernate. 

Bats are crucial mammals in our native ecosystems and consume massive amounts of insects each night. Since their decline, MTRI has been monitoring, researching and teaching Nova Scotians all about the wonders of bats. We also collect and manage public sightings of bats in Nova Scotia and use this information to identify maternity colonies and work with private landowners and provincial partners to monitor these sites. 

Nova Scotia is home to six bat species. Three of these species are hibernating, or “resident” bats. The other three species are migratory bats. All our bat species are insectivores, meaning that they eat insects which helps keep mosquito and pest levels down! There is an additional 7th species that has been documented in Nova Scotia, the Big Brown Bat, but there are few occurrences to date to we continue to monitor for more records of this species. Read more about NS species through our NS Species at Risk Guide or our Atlantic Canada Species at Risk Guide.

Want to learn more? Read below and check out our report on 10+ years of collecting and manage NS bat sightings in English or French 

Did you see a bat?  Business card style English & French or magnet style English & French 

Questions? Email or call us! See report a sighting information.

Resident Bats 

Little Brown Myotis/Bat (Myotis lucifugus) 

Little Brown Myotis bats are the most common bat in Nova Scotia, though their numbers are still very low due to white-nose syndrome. They are 4-11 grams with a 22-27 cm wingspan. They have brown fur that is darker near the base, with fur under their chin and on their belly that is a lighter brown/grey. Their wings and face are brown, and they have small, black ears, and a round tragus (prominence in front of the ear). They are endangered in Nova Scotia. 

The Little Brown Myotis bats roost during the day in small, enclosed spaces. These include natural features like hollow tree cavities and rock crevices as well as human built structures such as buildings, like barns and attics and bat boxes. They prefer habitats near water, forest edges, and fields where there are lots of flying insects.  

Females will roost in maternity colonies for most of the summer, where they will give birth to and raise one pup each. These pups will begin to fly after about three weeks. Males are mostly solitary throughout the summer. All Little Brown Bats hibernate together with other bat species in caves or abandoned mines. 

Photo by Jason Headley 

Northern Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) 

Northern Myotis bats (formerly known as the Northern Long-eared Bats) are 4-7 grams with a 23-26cm wingspan. They have brown fur with a lighter brown/grey fur under their chin and on their belly. Their wings are brown and their face is brown with a pink tint. They have large, black ears and a long, pointy tragus (prominence in front of the ear). They are endangered in Nova Scotia. 

The Northern Myotis bats roost during the day in mature forests. Females will roost in maternity colonies for most of the summer, where they will give birth to and raise one pup each. These colonies are found in large trees with cavities and cracks. Males roost alone in trees. These bats hunt in forest gaps and edges. All Northern Myotis bats hibernate together with other bat species in caves or abandoned mines. 

Photo by Jordi Segers 

Tri-colored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus) 

Tri-colored Bats (formerly known as the Eastern Pipistrelle) are the least common resident bat in Nova Scotia. They are 5-7 grams with a 22-25cm wingspan. They have fur with three bands of colour, hence their name. The base of their fur is black, the middle is blonde, and the tip is brown. Their wings are brown and their face is reddish-brown with a distinct snout. They are endangered in Nova Scotia. 

The Tri-colored Bats roost in large clumps of Old Man’s Beard lichen (Usnea species), which has not been observed outside of Nova Scotia. Females will roost in small maternity colonies of around 12 bats for most of the summer, where they will give birth to and raise two pups each. Within Atlantic Canada, southwest Nova Scotia is the only area known to date with known maternity roosts. Males roost alone. These bats hunt for aquatic insects over water in forested areas. All Tri-colored Bats hibernate together with other bat species in caves or abandoned mines. 

Photo by Hugh Broders 

Migratory bats 

Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) 

Hoary Bats are the largest bat in Nova Scotia. They are 20-35 grams with a 34-41 cm wingspan. They have thick fur with a brown base and greyish-white tips, giving them a “hoary” colouring. They have yellow fur around their brown face, with round ears that have a black border. They are endangered in Canada (COSEWIC). 

Both sexes roost solitarily in mature trees near forest edges where females will give birth to and raise two pups. Canadian Hoary Bats migrate south for the winter, and will do so in groups. These bats make up a large percentage of bat fatalities from wind turbines in North America.  

Photo by Jordi Segers 

Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis) 

Eastern Red Bats are 8-18 grams with a 28-33 cm wingspan. They have bright orange to red fur with a white patch below their jaw. They have a short, broad snout and pale, rounded ears. They are endangered in Canada (COSEWIC).  

Both sexes roost solitarily in tree foliage and camouflage as dead leaves or pinecones. They hunt around forest edges, clearings, and streetlights. Females give birth to an average of three pups, but up to five. The Eastern Red Bat migrates south for the winter.  

Photo by Nicole (No last name) 

Silver-Haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) 

Silver-Haired Bats are 9-13 grams with a 20-35 cm wingspan. They have black or dark brown fur with silver tips, and small, round ears with pink on the inner rim. They are endangered in Canada (COSEWIC). 

They roost in hollow trees and crevices, largely in old-growth forests. They will roost solitarily or in small groups, with females roosting in small maternity colonies and giving birth to one to two pups each. They hunt near forest edges and ponds. Silver-Haired Bats migrate south for the winter.  

Photo by Jordi Segers 

Sources:  

Bat Conservation International 

SAR in NS ID and Info Guide 3

Photo Field Guide to the Bats of Ontario