Cool Critters: Clumsy young bats working the nightshift are grabbing our attention

A new generation of baby bats is taking flight in our region, leading to a spike in calls from homeowners wondering what to do with little bats clinging to walls, plopped on building ledges and napping on windowsills.

“The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has been getting calls from people finding bats in unusual places,” the agency recently wrote on its Facebook page.

“This is not uncommon at this time of year as baby bats, called pups, are learning to fly,” it explained.

Just as human toddlers stumble, cling to furniture and fall down when learning to walk, young bats awkwardly flap, lurch and twist when learning to fly. Sometimes they get fatigued and end up on window and porch ledges or clutching to the sides of buildings.

What else to expect from a winged mammal that only recently weaned off its mother’s milk?

Bat mothers typically give birth to one pup a year during June or July, said bat expert Abigail Tobin of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. After being nursed and kept close to mom, they often start launching off on their own during August, she explained.

Under the cover of darkness, they face a massive new world of treetops, rooftops, powerlines and other bats zigzagging through the air.

“As bats are learning to fly, they’re also learning their way around,” Tobin said. “Where is food? Where is water to drink? Where to roost? This is an energetically demanding period for them.”

Which means they can end up in places where bats generally don’t hang out.

“They might be regrouping as they try to figure out their world or they’re simply resting after running out of energy,” Tobin said.

Sometimes a young bat will enter a house or garage through an open window or door. Because bats are wary of humans and try to avoid them, chances are “a bat doesn’t want to be in someone’s living space,” Tobin explained.

With more than 1,400 species worldwide, bats account for nearly one-fourth of the planet’s mammal species, according to Bat Conservation International, which promotes’ bats and their importance to the ecosystem. Not only do these winged shadows devour night-flying insects such as mosquitoes and flies, they also play a major role in pollinating crops such as peaches, bananas, avocados and eucalyptus. And the next time you enjoy a margarita, tip your glass to the bat species that pollinates agave, a main ingredient used to make tequila.

None of the 14 bat species residing in Washington state are agave pollinators, but they do pollinate certain flowers and eat millions of insect pests. Some of Washington’s species live west of the Cascades, while all 14 can be found on the state’s East Side, Tobin said. Species drawn to Spokane and other urban areas include little brown bats, big brown bats, Yuma myotis and Townsend’s big-eared bats, she added.

So, back to those young bats flitting about like pieces of dark paper tossed by the wind:. The chance of you encountering one with rabies is slim.

“Less than one bat in 20,000 has rabies,” the WDFW states on its website.

Even so, never handle one with your bare hands. Should you inadvertently touch a bat or suspect exposure, the agency recommends you contact your local health department.

As August gives way to September, juvenile bats will continue to take some wrong turns and wind up in strange places.

So what to do if you find one? WDFW offers guidance on its website, along with more information on the vital role bats play, the threats they face and the perks of creating a bat-friendly environment: wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/living/species-facts/bats.