Biology of Mexican Free-tail Bat: Appearance, Biology, Life Cycle, Habitat, Diet and Behavior

Mexican free tail bat also known as Brazilian free-tailed bat (Taderida Brasiliensis) is easily identified with medium size and it is native to the Americas and known to be among the most populated mammals in North America. This bat specie is known to be vulnerable to habitat destruction due to their tendency to roost in large numbers in comparatively few locations.

Appearance
Mexican free-tailed bats measured 9 cm in length, 12.3 weights and their tail is known to be half the overall body length. That is why they are called free-tailed bats. The ears of these bats are comparatively close at the back of the eyes and muzzle and they have winkled lips. The wings are extended and also narrow in shaped with tip pointed which made it easy for them to always be ready for fast, straight flight patterns. The fur color of these bars ranges from gray to dark brown.

Biology and Life Cycle
Based on dentition it is recorded that one individual Mexican free-tailed bat lived about 8 years. But due to lots of predators here and there, most of these bats are not able to live to ripe old age. At breeding season the females that seclude themselves into maternity roosts. The size of the environment is one of the factors that determine the size of maternity roost. Mating can occur in either passive or aggressive form. The males control the female movement while mating in aggressive form preventing her from associating with other bats in the same roost. The male also likely vocalize while aggressively mating with the female. The passive mating involves a male bat flying quietly to female and mounts her without resistance. Both male and female copulate with multiple partners making them promiscuous breeders. The gestation period last from 11 to 12 weeks and female only gives birth to one young yearly. The young Mexican free-tailed bats start flying after four to seven weeks.

Habitat
This free-tailed Mexican bat normally roost in caves. Nevertheless, they can equally roost in buildings of different types so long they have access to dark opening in the ceiling. The age or nature of house does not matter when bat want to make roost in it. They can equally roost in tree hollows like red mangrove, white mangrove, black mangrove, cypress and lots more.

Behavior and Diet
Just like other bat species, the Mexican free-tailed bats are insectivorous in nature. With the help of echolocation they normally hunt their prey. Some of the things bat feeds on include: Beetles, moths, flies, dragonflies, wasps, ants, true bugs and others. Mexican bats are nocturnal foragers always start feeding after dusk. They can travel 50 km in speedy, direct flight pattern in order to feed. That is why they are said to fly above other bats.