In this beautifully illustrated volume, bat specialist Rick A. Adams delves into bats' true nature and the roles these fascinating ledurblaka ("leather flutterers") play in the natural history and ecology of the Rocky Mountain West.

CONTENTS Acknowledgments I. Introduction A powerful misunderstanding How much do we know? Origin of "batness" The structure of bats Bats today "Seeing" in complete darkness Echolocation: seeing with ears is not as easy as it sounds Echolocation pulse rates: speed kills CF versus FM bats: changing the channel is not optional Nature's arm-race: the insects fight back The world-wide importance of bats An unfortunate loss of biodiversity II. Physiography and Zoogeography of the Rocky Mountain Region Northern, Central, and Southern Rockies Geology Hydrology Climate Vegetation & Life Zones Desertscrub Desertscrub and bats Semidesert scrublands Pinon-juniper woodland Semidesert scrub, pinon-juniper woodlands and bats Chaparral Chaparral and bats Plains and desert grasslands Grasslands and bats Montane shrubland Montane shrubland and bats Montane forest Montane forest and bats Subalpine Forest Subalpine forest and bats Alpine tundra Alpine tundra and bats Riparian systems Riparian systems and bats Transition Zones North versus South-Facing Slopes Barriers to dispersal North-South corridors: the Canadian/Mexican connection III. Evolutionary Origins of Rocky Mountain Bats Bat origins: what do fossils say? North American bat fauna: mysterious origins Divergence of temperate from tropical forms: some like it not so hot Today's Temperate Bats Special adaptations to temperate environments: when heaven freezes over Torpor Hibernation Migration IV. Bats in Rocky Mountain Ecosystems Ecosystems of the Rockies: hotbeds of biodiversity Bat Diversity & Elevation: It's lonely at the top and the bottom Community structure of Rocky Mountain bats The shapes of bats: round pegs in round holes Shapes and sizes of wings: fitting in with the crowd Aerial versus gleaning insectivory: how picky should one be? The shapes and sizes of ears: better hearing or just plain cool Bats as natural insecticides: balancing the diet Other foraging modes: bats that really suck Water: simply a drink, or mineral sink? Potential competitors: poorwills, rich bats, and sneaky mice V. Rocky Mountain Bat Conservation Strategies Where do bats occur? Mountains: their effect on and importance to conservation efforts Protecting roost sites Protecting foraging habitat Importance of old-growth forests Protecting water resources Environmental contaminants and bats Wind turbines & communication towers Human-made structures and bats Bat houses: do they work? The future of bats. Accounts of Species Key to the Bats of the Rocky Mountains A. FAMILY MORMOOPIDAE 1. Ghost-faces Bat (Mormoops megalophylla) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development B. FAMILY PHYLLOSTOMIDAE 1. California Leaf-nosed Bat (Macrotus californicus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 2. Mexican Long-tongued Bat (Choeronycteris mexicana) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 3. Lesser Long-nosed Bat (Leptonyceris curasoae) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development C. FAMILY VESPERTILIONIDAE 1. Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 2. Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 3. Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 4. Spotted bat (Euderma maculatum) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 5. Allen's big-eared bat (Idionycteris phyllotis) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 6. Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 7. Western red bat (Lasiurus blossevillii) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 8. Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 9. Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 10. Western yellow bat (Lasiurus xanthinus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 13. Southwestern bat (Myotis auriculus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 14. California myotis (Myotis californicus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 15. Western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 16. Western long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 17. Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 18. Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 19. Fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 20. Cave myotis (Myotis velifer) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 21. Long-legged myotis (Myotis volans) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 22. Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 11. Western Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus hesperus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 12. Eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development D. FAMILY MOLOSSIDAE 1. Greater Mastiff Bat (Eumops perotis) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 2. Underwood's Mastiff Bat (Eumops underwoodi) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 3. Pocketed free-tailed bat (Nyctinomops femorosaccus) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 4. Big Free-tailed Bat (Nyctinomops macrotis) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development 5. Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) a. Description b. Distribution c. Ecology & Behavior d. Reproduction & Development References Selected General References Selected References: Chapter I Selected References: Chapter II Selected References: Chapter III Selected References: Chapter IV Selected References: Chapter V Selected References: Accounts of Species Appendix A. Bat Conservation Programs United Nations Environmental Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre The Red List: the 2000 IUNC Red List of Threatened Species United States Federally Listed endangered bat species State agency conservation efforts and listings Arizona New Mexico Colorado Utah State Nongame Programs Arizona Wyoming Colorado Idaho Montana Utah New Mexico Rankings by Natural Heritage Programs: imperiled bat species International Conservation Efforts for Bats Coalition of North American Bat Working Groups Western Bat Working Group Mexican Bat Working Group Rocky Mountain State Working Groups and Other Regional Nonprofits Utah Bat Working Group Colorado Bat Working Group Colorado Bat Society Arizona Bat Resource Group Wyoming Bat Working Group Appendix B: Agency reports by state Arizona Colorado New Mexico Utah Wyoming Idaho Montana Dissertations and thesis on rocky mountain bats Glossary Index; Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication: Bats Rocky Mountains Region