Missouri Department of Conservation
Missouri Department of Conservation

Taxonomy

Common Name: BAT, BRAZILIAN FREE-TAILED

Phylum: CHORDATA

Class: MAMMALIA

Order: CHIROPTERA

Family: MOLOSSIDAE

Genus: TADARIDA

Species: BRASILIENSIS

SubSpecies: MEXICANA

Taxonomic Authority: (SAUSSURE)

Taxonomy References: 002

Status

NONGAME

Status References: 001 , 003 , 013

Habitat Summary

"Are usually found in caves, sometimes in buildings."

Primary Habitat: "Cave"

References: 004 , 005

Distribution

General Occurrence in State:

"Has been recorded from Jackson and Phelps counties *01*."

County Occurance

County Occurence
Known Likely Unknown Not Likely Historic Extirpated
JACKSON ADAIR
PHELPS ANDREW
ATCHISON
AUDRAIN
BARRY
BARTON
BATES
BENTON
BOLLINGER
BOONE
BUCHANAN
BUTLER
CALDWELL
CALLAWAY
CAMDEN
CAPE GIRARDEAU
CARROLL
CARTER
CASS
CEDAR
CHARITON
CHRISTIAN
CLARK
CLAY
CLINTON
COLE
COOPER
CRAWFORD
DADE
DALLAS
DAVIESS
DEKALB
DENT
DOUGLAS
DUNKLIN
FRANKLIN
GASCONADE
GENTRY
GREENE
GRUNDY
HARRISON
HENRY
HICKORY
HOLT
HOWARD
HOWELL
IRON
JASPER
JEFFERSON
JOHNSON
KNOX
LACLEDE
LAFAYETTE
LAWRENCE
LEWIS
LINCOLN
LINN
LIVINGSTON
MACON
MADISON
MARIES
MARION
MCDONALD
MERCER
MILLER
MISSISSIPPI
MONITEAU
MONROE
MONTGOMERY
MORGAN
NEW MADRID
NEWTON
NODAWAY
OREGON
OSAGE
OZARK
PEMISCOT
PERRY
PETTIS
PIKE
PLATTE
POLK
PULASKI
PUTNAM
RALLS
RANDOLPH
RAY
REYNOLDS
RIPLEY
SALINE
SCHUYLER
SCOTLAND
SCOTT
SHANNON
SHELBY
ST. CHARLES
ST. CLAIR
ST. FRANCOIS
ST. LOUIS
STE. GENEVIEVE
STODDARD
STONE
SULLIVAN
TANEY
TEXAS
VERNON
WARREN
WASHINGTON
WAYNE
WEBSTER
WORTH
WRIGHT

References for distribution: 001

Distribution by Watersheds

Meramec R.
Bourbeuse R.
Northwest Corner of Jackson County
South Grand R.
Big Piney R.
Gasconade R. from Big Piney R. to Mo. R.
Mo. R. from Kansas City to Little Chariton R.

Comments: "Likely to occur in units listed, based on county occurrence. No records of maternity colonies in MO *01*"

Distribution by Ecoregions

Comments: ""

Distribution by Potential Natural Vegetation

Bluestem Prairie/Oak Hickory Forest
Oak-Hickory Forest

Distribution by Natural Divisions of Missouri

Glaciated Plains: Western
Ozark: Upper Ozark
Osage Plains

Habitat Associations

Species is associated with "Terrestrial" habitats.

National Wetlands Inventory Association:

Aquatic Associations:

References for Aquatic Associations:

Habitat Types:

Limestone Bluff and Cave

References for Habitat Types: 009

Terrestrial Natural Communities:

Primary
Cliff
Dry Limestone/Dolomite Cliff
Moist Limestone/Dolomite Cliff
Dry Sandstone Cliff
Moist Sandstone Cliff
Caves

References for Terrestrial Natural Communities: 004 , 005

Food Habits

Trophic Level:

"Carnivore"

Larval Food Habits

Comments for larval food habits:
""

References for larval food habits:

Juvenile Food Habits

Comments for Juvenile Food Habits:
""

References Juvenile Food Habits

Adult Food Habits

Thysanoptera (thrips); Not Specified
Hemiptera (water bugs, water boatmen, stink bugs); Not Specified
Homoptera (cicadas, hoppers, aphids, scale insects); Not Specified
Neuroptera (fishflies, snakeflies, dobsonflies, lacewings, antlions); Not Specified
Coleoptera (beetles); Not Specified
Trichoptera (caddisflies); Not Specified
Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies); Not Specified
Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, mantids); Not Specified
Isoptera (termites); Not Specified
Psocoptera (booklice, barklice); Not Specified
Lepidoptera (butterflies); Not Specified
Diptera (flies, midges, mosquitos, gnats); Not Specified
Hymenoptera (sawflies, ants, wasps, bees); Not Specified
Terrestrial Insects; Not Specified
Insects Insects; Not Specified
Ephemeroptera (mayflies); Not Specified

Comments for Adult Food Habits:
""

References Adult Food Habits 001 , 004 , 007 , 012

Niche Requirements

Egg Niche Requirements

References for egg niches requirements:

Feeding Larvae Niche Requirements

References for feeding larvae niche requirements:

Resting Larvae Niche Requirements

References for resting Larvae niche requirements:

Feeding Juvenile Niche Requirements

References for feeding juvenile niche requirements:

Resting Juvenile Niche Requirements

Natural features: caves, dry
Natural features: caves, wet
Natural features specified in comments(00280)

References for resting juvenile niche requirements: 004 , 005

Breeding Adult Niche Requirements

References for feeding Adult niche requirements:

Feeding Adult Niche Requirements

Successional stage specified in comments(00370)

References for feeding adult niche requirements: 010

Resting Adult Niche Requirements

Successional stage specified in comments(00370)

References for resting adult niche requirements: 004 , 005 , 010

Niche Requirement Summary

Human association specified in comments(00690)
Natural features specified in comments(00280)
Natural features: caves, dry
Natural features: caves, wet
Natural features: cliffs, ledges
Natural features: rock shelters or crevices
Successional stage specified in comments(00370)

Comments about Life History:

Code Comment
004 Catch moths in tail membrane *01*
001 Individuals found in MO are probably from migratory populations in AZ, NM, TX, and OK There are no records of maternity colonies in MO *01*
002 Migratory population leave maternity caves in late summer after young are weaned, and wander widely before moving south to wintering areas *01*
033 After young are weaned, leave maternity caves in AZ, NM, TX, and OK, wander widely until moving south to mexico for the winter *01*
035 Predators include great horned owl, common barn-owl, red-tailed hawk, cooper's hawk, peregrine falcon, american kestrel, Mississippikite, raccoon, opossum, skunks, rat snakes, coachwhip snakes, and copperhead *04* parasites include mites, ticks, parasitic flies, fleas *04,05*, cestodes, nematodes, trematodes *04*. Diseases include rabies *04*.
099 Have good homing ability *04*. In TX, 75% of population lives to be 10 years old, one female lived to be 15 years old. *05*

Life History Information

Periodicity: active at night
Migration patterns specified in comments(033)
Regulatory factors specified in comments(035)
Other life history information specified in comments(099)
Origin in state specified in comments(001)
seasonal distribution specified in comments(002)
Foraging strategy specified in comments(004)
Foraging sites: air

Comments about Life History:

Code Comment
004 Catch moths in tail membrane *01*
001 Individuals found in MO are probably from migratory populations in AZ, NM, TX, and OK There are no records of maternity colonies in MO *01*
002 Migratory population leave maternity caves in late summer after young are weaned, and wander widely before moving south to wintering areas *01*
033 After young are weaned, leave maternity caves in AZ, NM, TX, and OK, wander widely until moving south to mexico for the winter *01*
035 Predators include great horned owl, common barn-owl, red-tailed hawk, cooper's hawk, peregrine falcon, american kestrel, Mississippikite, raccoon, opossum, skunks, rat snakes, coachwhip snakes, and copperhead *04* parasites include mites, ticks, parasitic flies, fleas *04,05*, cestodes, nematodes, trematodes *04*. Diseases include rabies *04*.
099 Have good homing ability *04*. In TX, 75% of population lives to be 10 years old, one female lived to be 15 years old. *05*

References for life history: 001 , 004 , 011

Management

Beneficial Management Practices:

Protect caves from human disturbance
Forest - maintain wilderness environment

Beneficial Management References: 008

Adverse Managment Practices:

Adverse Management References:

Comments on Management:

References for Management Comments:

References

Reference Code Citation
001 Schwartz, C.W. and E.R. Schwartz. 1981. The Wild Mammals Of Missouri 2nd Ed. Univ. Of Missouri Press And Mo Dept. Of Conservation, Columbia, Mo. 356 Pp.
002 Hall, E.R. 1981. The Mammals Of North America, 2nd Ed. John Wiley And Sons, Inc. New York. 1181pp.
003 The Wildlife Code of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102. 573-751-4115.
004 Barbour, R.W. and W.H. Davis. 1969. Bats Of America. Univ. Press Of Kentucky. Lexington. 285 Pp.
005 Davis, R.B., C.F. Herried Ii, and H.L. Short. 1962. Mexican Free- Tailed Bats In Texas. Ecol. Monogr. 32:311-346.
006 Thom, R.H. and J.H. Wilson. 1980 The Natural Divisions Of Missouri. Trans. Mo Acad. Sci. 14:9-24.
007 Ross, A. 1961. Notes On The Food Habits Of Bats. J. Mammal. 42(1): 66-71.
008 Unpb Clawson, R. Mo Dept. Of Conservation, 1110 S. College Ave., Columbia, Mo 65201. (573-882-9880).
009 Kelly, G. (Ed.) 1986. Animal Habitat Relations Handbook. Mo Dept. Of Conservation and U.S.D.A. Forest Service. Jefferson City, Mo. 293 Pp.
010 Marcot, B.G. 1996. An Ecosystem Context For Bat Management: A Case Study Of The Interior Columbia River Basin, U.S.A. Pp 19-36 In Barclay, R.M.R. and R.M. Brigham. (Eds.) Bats And Forest Symposium, October 19-21, 1995. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Res. Br., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Work Pap. 23/1996. 292 Pp.
011 Keeley, A.T.H. and B.W. Keeley. 2004. The mating system of Tadarida brasiliensis (Chiroptera: Molossidae) in a large highway bridge colony. Journal of Mammology 85(1): 113-119.
012 McWilliams, L.A. 2005. Variation in diet of the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana). Journal of Mammology 86(3):599-605.
013 Missouri Natural Heritage Program. 2010. Missouri Species and Communities of Conservation Concern Checklist. Missouri Department Of Conservation. Jefferson City, Missouri. 53 Pp.