An interesting fact about the city of Austin, Texas is that it is home to the largest urban bat population. During the months of March and April, thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats most of which are pregnant females migrate North to this area in order to give birth. They found a niche under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. And, these bats stay there throughout spring up to the early vestiges of fall when they begin to head south.
If you are wondering why the bats chose the Congress Avenue Bridge to be their home, this is because of the many crevices found under the bridge which the bats find as convenient settlements. In 1980, renovations where made to the Congress Avenue Bridge and the new design has created so many narrow but deep openings which are ideal for bats to stay in. The number of Mexican free-tailed bats that take up residence in this bridge can reach populations of 750,000 to 1.5 million every year.
Bat-watching season starts around March when the bats begin to settle in. Around sunset every evening, the bats fly out to hunt for food. When they go out in hordes, it can be a unique and interesting sight to behold. Thousands of bats head out into sky and this phenomenon has become a tourist attraction in the city of Austin. When bats are hunting for food, it has been estimated that they can consume 10-30 thousand pounds of insects every night. The bats stay in the region until October and they start flying south in order to avoid the winter season.
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